Accosted by Census Worker

Wednesday night, while pulling out of my driveway, a man I had never seen before in my life pulled into my driveway. He gets out of the car, pets my dogs. I see an orange vest but can't read the yellow lettering on it. I put my window down, this is where it gets good. While not verbatim, it gives you the idea...

"Can I help you?"

"I'm from the census."

"I filled out the form. We were leaving. There are seven people in the house." I start pulling out again.

With some authority, as if being a census worker gives him some kind of power or control, "I have more questions than that!" He turns, I make out the word "census" on each lapel in sticky yellow letters. As if a six-year-old couldn't do that with supplies from Wal-Mart. He never gave his name or showed his ID. His ID tag was turned so that all I could see was the blank back.
Me, a bit shocked, annoyed, and running late, "Uh, we were leaving! Seven people in the house! I filled in my census!"

***Him, "Blah, blah, blah! Me man! You woman! You do what I say!"

Wait, he didn't really saw that. But his attitude sure did ... ***

Him, "Well they didn't get it and now you have to answer all of these questions! Didn't you get the note I left on your door?!"

***"Screw off you stupid bastard and leave me alone!"

No, I didn't really say that. But it would have been cool if I had. Truth is, for some reason this guy gave actually shook me a bit, probably because I'm VERY pregnant and hormonal and he gave me a really bad vibe from the time I saw him petting my dogs. I don't get that often. ***

"Yeah, I got it. I'm very pregnant and have been preoccupied." I point my belly out to him as he had walked toward my van. The paper he had left simply had his name and number. It did not have the address of the office he was working out of. It did not have a number for me to call to verify he was who he claimed to be. Both are required.

AS AN ADDED BONUS his number is a "954" area code. That is a Broward County, Florida number. This did not make me feel any more comfortable since he gave me no way to verify who he was. Yeah, I'm going to call him real quick and give information about my family to a man I've never met who has shown me no credentials. PLUS I was dealing with a few issues that take precedence over giving said stranger info about my family anyway.

He steps closer to my car. "Well you have to answer these questions!"

***"All I have to do is stay white and die! And if Christ returns soon I may get out of the latter!"

I really wish I had thought of this one during the moment. I would have used it.***
"I'm LEEEAVING! There are seven people in the house!"

He writes his number on a piece of census paper, walks to my car. Yeah, I was pretty nervous at this point. He reaches INTO MY VEHICLE on the passenger side and thrusts this paper at me. I take it. He says, "You WILL call me!"

***"Okay, I have a few things I can call you ... where shall I start?!"

In reality, too shaken at this point to respond for a few seconds. I mean, the man reached into my VAN with my CHILDREN in it!***

I start backing out really quick. I wish I hadn't given him time to get his arm out of my window. I yelled at him, "Seven people in my house is ALL I'm going to tell you!"

I found out this morning that the children were upset. The night this happened they told their eldest brother, who was not in the car, what happened. The 13-year-old said he was a "real big jerk". The 10-year-old described him as "snooty". The 8-year-old said he was "really rude". I felt he was very aggressive.

So I called the customer service number for the census. I got a man whose wife has about the same due date. How fortunate! I tell him what happened. The man messed up from the beginning by not saying his name or showing me his tag. He messed up when he failed to leave the info of where he was out of on the first note. The man at the census said the man was out of line. He also informed me that the magic words for me are, "I refuse to comply." Then the man MUST MUST MUST leave. He has to leave if asked to. He is not allowed to say another word to me. He is not allowed to "strong arm" me.

Then he connected me to the office the jerk was out of. I repeat the story to a woman who was totally appalled. I including the reaction of my children. She said the man's actions were "agressive" and his supervisor will be getting with him. She also said he was out of line, didn't follow protocol, etc. I inform her that if this man steps foot on my property again that I will call the police and have him arrested.

I stopped by the sheriff's office. I spoke with the sheriff himself. He confirmed that what this man did was verbal assault (I was shook, and yes, with him approaching my van and then entering the van by putting his arm inside, a little scared). He also confirmed that because I informed him I was pregnant, it's an automatic felony. I told him I would call if the man showed up again. The sheriff's response? "Please do." I don't think he liked what he heard either.

I have four witnesses. I will press charges. He's best not to come back.

Peace Out,
~*~*~Krystal~*~*~