She was no Mary Poppins (Part 2)-this time with nut job attached.

Continued from last night..this is Wang nanny horror story-Part II.  Prior to posting this essay from 2007, I read through and there is so much understood anger.  But now I also have a thankful calm of our childcare situation of 2012.

Roberta started the following Monday.  I took one day off to show her where things were, the routine of both girls, etc.  It took Roberta to get the hang of everything in one day.  This was her gig.  After a week’s time, I prepped very little.  She knew where everything was and how to care for each girl.

I would come home and Laurel would be smiling, bathed and there would be a fancy desert in the refridge.  While I took care of one child, I couldn’t find time to brush my teeth.  She takes care of two and makes a dessert for the Wangs?

It was nanny bliss from September to the next February.  I loved the way she was with Laurel.  She would sing to her and play.  Laurel would light up when Roberta walked through the door.

Coming home to my child wasn’t a bad thing either.  Being around Roberta was like being around a friend.  She was easy to talk to and funny.  I never worried at work about what might be happening at home.  I knew my girl was just fine.  Others around me appreciated this peace too.  I wasn’t bogging people down with these crazy nanny stories anymore.

After this ideal relationship, the February through April was a trainwreck.  Roberta was involved with a man on and off  for a few years.  Marriage was subject discussed but she told me she was unsure.  One Monday in December, I asked her if she was available to babysit on Saturday.  She said she had plans and she was getting married.  Roberta said this with a sly smile and seemed excited.  While I wanted to be excited for her, I tried to mask my skepticism.  Her guy just didn't sound right and I couldn't put my finger on it.  But not everyone likes a buttoned up planner of a man that gives good spreadsheet like me.

She got married and returned to work the following Monday sporting a very shiny platinum band.  Roberta was very happy albeit the receiver of several calls during the day from her new husband.  He seemed to call a lot but I attributed it to the honeymoon stage.

December rolled in to January, then February.  Roberta’s joyful bliss disappeared and was more somber than usual.  I was worried but I also thought she was dealing with the basic trials and tribulations of marriage.  I mean, it’s hard.  On a Thursday, she told me that she needed the next day off.  Ching and I tried to stress giving us a little notice when taking a day off but I told her to take the day and I would stay home with Laurel.  She then told me that she was taking the day to go to court to have her marriage annulled because she was thrown down a flight of stairs.  Holy crap..not exactly the loving by the book planner type of guy that I was hoping for her.

That same annulment Friday, Roberta left Jimmy. (Yeah, I know.  A grown man named Jimmy.) I did applaud this move but secretly and selfishly I was wondered how this was going to affect my perfect nanny situation.  The first issue was her commute.  To feel safe from Jimmy, she moved an hour and 20 minutes away.  Ching and I didn’t think she could keep that up but she was insistent that she could.

Then the crap started to hit the fan.  Jimmy started to prank call us in the middle of the night.  If he did call while we were home, his comments were, first of all obscene, but disparaging Roberta as an employee and Ching and I as employers.

Jimmy also called the fire department from a pay phone claiming that we had a gas leak.  This initiated all sorts of fire engines to come to our house just for us to tell them that no one from our residence made the call.  At this point, it was a pain in the ass, but there was no way to stop it other than a restraining/no communication order.

On a Wednesday in the beginning of March, I came home to a panicked Roberta while the other parents (in the nanny share) trying to calm her down.  She kept saying that we could fire her now.  While the girls were asleep, Jimmy stopped by high on coke and angel dust (I thought that was from the 80’s?).  He let himself into our house even though Roberta didn’t want him inside.  She called the police and they were at our house immediately (yay! Tax dollars!).  He was taken away in cuffs and charged with going against the restraining order and unlawful entry.  In the shouting match that occurred with the cops and Jimmy, the girls woke up and were screaming.  He was taken away and about 30 minutes later, this is when I came home.  Roberta had to make a statement with the police so she left but wanted to come back to talk to Ching and me.  This is when we found out about her dude.  He was a convicted felon-armed robbery of a bank.  He had served 15 years in prison and he was now using drugs again.   Ching and I were shocked.  This was a smart, funny attractive woman.  Why and how could she get involved with someone like that?

Mixed emotions followed.  I really liked Roberta and didn’t want to let her go.  But, there was a nut after her and I wanted her the hell away from Laurel.  Being that Jimmy was now in jail, she continued to work with us but for a very short time.  The commute was a nightmare for her and she was still trying to make the transition in her new residence with her family.  She gave her two weeks notice and we worked with her to find another job.

But in the meantime and after making bail, Jimmy still harassed us.  Calls still kept coming to the point where we changed our number and got caller ID.  One Friday morning in April, we woke up to our car, our neighbor’s car and our deck splattered with white paint.  We don’t have proof that Jimmy did this but we certainly don’t believe this was random.  I drive our car.  It’s very economical but shiny.  The removal of paint took away the shininess.  Ching and I gave money to our neighbor to help with his paint removal cost.  We also spent a very hot Memorial Day weekend removing the paint and re-staining the deck. 

There was a point where Ching and I didn’t feel safe in our own home.  We installed sensor lights and cameras.  Before we went to bed, we jammed a chair under the doorknob of the cellar door since it didn’t lock.  Every noise made us jump.  If we felt someone was parked outside (on the street) of our condo too long, we called the police.  I hated Roberta for this.  She brought this asshole in our lives. 

I have not resolved my feelings about this.  They are still up in the air.  Roberta was wonderful with Laurel but she also took a feeling of safety away from my family.

If Ching and I interview other babysitting candidates, we ask (the candidate) about their personal life—who may be intertwined with us.  We explain why we ask and if they have issue, the door is right there.