The Jeep
At the time the jeep was purchased
in November of 2001, Stacy and I had two vehicles. A Ford Escort that we were
still paying $300 per month or so on and a 1990 Ford Ranger truck that I bought
from Takako. Stacy drove the Escort and
I drove the Ranger. One day Stacy suggested we go and look at some cars. We find the 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and
decide to trade in the Escort. Stacy and I both fell in love with it. It was
spacious and more powerful, a great improvement from our dinky little Escort. What
really convinced me was that it would be safer vehicle for the kids than the
Escort. The payments were only a hundred dollars or so more than the Escort.
Stacy had held her job at the gas station for the last 4 months so the 100
dollar increase shouldn’t be a problem. She volunteered that she will be making
the payment on it herself so I won’t have to worry about it. With the credit check, it was decided that
both of our incomes were needed to be approved for financing.
After the purchase, some negatives
did crop up. I was in the process of closing on the new house and the
additional debt of the Jeep caused me to lose my original financing and the
manufactured home dealer had to search for new financing for me. I of course
should have known better than to buy a car before I closed on the house.
A couple of months later Stacy was
fired from her job at the Hess station. She promised to get a new job right
away but that never happened until 3 years later. She made approximately one
payment on the Jeep and that was it and I ended up making the payments.
In 2003 when Stacy and I break up, Stacy
continues to drive the Jeep to her new school and I drive the Ford truck. I
continue to pay for the Jeep but I am fine with it. Stacy needs a reliable car to get to her
school in
In 2004 I move Stacy out of the
house in
Why was I so generous? My attorney
asked me. Because I thought that if I made sure that she was taken care of and
she knew that, she will not object to sharing the kids with me at least half of
the time. Going to school was one of the best decisions she made in her life
and I wanted to make sure she finished it and obtained a marketable skill to
support herself for the rest of her life. Having reliable transportation would
be critical to that goal since the school was located 60 miles away from
Daytona. So I figured giving her $700 for living expenses and having her
transportation costs covered 100% would let her finish school without having to
get a job.
But reality was far from what I had
hoped. Stacy continued to haggle and make shared parenting difficult. She
continued to ask for more money for herself. In May of 2003, she decided to
enforce the WA State Order all by herself despite warnings from my attorney to
stick to the arrangement currently in place. She said “This is what is in the
papers so this is what needs to be done.”
From that point on she refused to let me have the kids except for every
other weekend and other holidays specified by the WA order and used the
babysitter if she couldn’t watch the kids while they were with her.
I
was furious with her for being so vindictive and I had enough of being generous
to her. So OK, WA order it is then. If she is going to follow the WA order to
the letter, I will also follow it to the letter. I stop all my support will pay
her $184 dollars a month in child support and $37 dollars a month toward the
children’s health insurance. This means that the Jeep will no longer be paid
for and she will owe me $200 per month in the kids’ health insurance.
I told her if she was going to make the
payments on the Jeep she could continue to use it and if she pays it off she
could keep it for herself. But if she isn’t going to pay for it, I want it
back. She then said that I could just come by to pick up the Jeep “WEL
FINE!! TAKE THE FUCKING XXX, WELL TAKE THE FUCKING KIDS TOO! IF YOU WANT TO
TAKE EVERYTHING OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE TAKE IT!! JUST TAKE IT!! GET IT THE FUCK OVER WITH!! I told her I only wanted the Jeep and will be
coming by tomorrow to pick it up. I reminded her that if she will share the
kids half of the time, whatever schedule she wants, I will go back to the
previous support arrangement. Stacy said no, the kids are with me because that
is what the courts ordered. So I said well, the support amount is what the
courts ordered.
Next Saturday, I drove the truck
over and took the Jeep back. Shortly after I returned home Stacy calls claiming
the truck did not run. She said she was trying to get out of the drive way and
got stuck in the middle of the street. She put the kids on the phone to beg and
cry for the Jeep. Below is an excerpt from the May phone logs. (D is me, S is Stacy, M is Mirrissa, Z is
Zach)
S: yeah Dave, I can’t believe you traded me a vehicle
that doesn’t even run Dave.
D: (laugh) It was fine when..
S: really Dave, when you try to get it in to first
gear it goes absolutely nowhere? And when I try to get it into reverse to back
up a little more, it won’t even go in reverse?
D: I really didn’t have any problem with it Stacy.
S: Really! Because I just had to have the neighbor put
it back in the yard for me because it wouldn’t GO anywhere! In ANY gear!
D: I just drove it over there like, everyday, so I
don’t know what your problem is..
S: really Dave is that why I had to rev the engine
just to get it to move an inch? In first gear!!!
D: I don’t know what to tell you Stacy. It works fine
for me.
S: you can bring the fucking Jeep back over here!!
D: I don’t think so.
M: (crying)
S: what do you mean you don’t think so!! So you are
going to leave me stranded with the kids with no vehicle and you leave me with
a piece of shit truck that won’t even drive!! Or WHAT was that YOUR PLAN!!
M: (crying)
D: why is Mirrissa crying?
S: to screw ME over MORE!!
D: what does that mean?
M: (crying.. I miss the Jeep… crying)
S: well gee Dave, we are all stranded here, the car
won’t go anywhere
Z: (there is going to be no more xxx until we get our
power back.. you know we aren’t going to
be able to go to school!)
S: I gave you that Jeep on good faith that this truck
was running right.
D: it is running right.
S: oh is that why when I put it into first gear it
won’t go anywhere?
D: it goes just fine for me.
M: (crying)
S: Are you calling me a liar?
D: you saw me drive it over there Stacy it works just
fine!
S: Dave I pulled out of the drive way in reverse and I
put it in first gear and it WOULDN’T GO ANYWHERE!!
D: Stacy, I drove it over there..
S: yeah, did you rev up the engine to get it here?
D: no
S: and then you tell me that.. Why is it that I put it in first gear and it
won’t go no where Dave!
D: I don’t know. Baby talk it.
S: what!
D: Try baby talking it. I don’t know, it always worked
for me.
S: Bring the Jeep back over here Dave. You are not
going to leave me stranded here with these kids with no vehicle.
D: you have a vehicle.
S: IT DOESN’T GO ANYWHERE!!
M: (burst out crying again)
D: It goes just fine Stacy
S: NO IT DOES NOT DAVE!
D: yes it does.
S: SO WHAT WAS I DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR
HALF AN HOUR WITH IT FUCKING UP!!
D: Stacy, it goes just fine.
S: NO It does not DAVE!!
D: well I don’t know what you did to it
S: I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING TO IT!
D: well I don’t know Stacy, I brought it over in
perfect, fine, fucking condition and well, I don’t know.
S: NO YOU DID NOT AND YOU KNOW IT!!!
D: No it was just fine.
S: SO YOU ARE FUCKING GOING TO SCREW ME!!!
D: I haven’t screwed you at all.
S: Really Dave, if you aren’t SCREWING ME, bring the
Jeep back over and get this truck fixed right!!
D: the truck is working just fine Stacy.
S: so why won’t it go in first gear!
M: It won’t daddy!! Help me!!!
S: I got stuck in the middle of the road for HALF AN
HOUR DAVE! with it in first gear and it WONT GO ANYWHERE!!
M: The battery is dead..
D: (laughing) so is the battery dead too?
S: real funny Dave
M: Pleeeese Daddy!! The truck won’t run!!!!
D: truck ran just fine today didn’t it Mirrissa?
M: I want my Jeep baaaack!!! (Crying)
S: Did you have to put your foot on it all the way
Dave? To get it to go in first?
D: no
M: I want my Jeeeeeeeep baaaaaack!!!
S: I think you are lying to me!
D: I don’t think so.
M: aaaaahhhhhh aaaaaaahhhhhh
S: OK I will be over to get the Jeep!
D: No you won’t
M: aaaaahhhhhh aaaaaaahhhhhh
S: Really?
D: truly
S: I have another key for it! I WILL COME AND GET
IT!
M: aaaaahhhhhh uuuuhhhhhh
D: its xxxxx
S: yeah, and how’s that Dave?
D: we traded
S: No Dave you didn’t even give me the title for it
Dave! AND THE FUCKER DON’T RUN!
D: it does run
S: NO IT DOES NOT!!!
D: yes it does.
S: OK Dave, there is a police officer sitting right
here in the corner, would you like me to get him in on it?
D: (laughing) sure what ever you want. I don’t give a
shit. Like I said only time I care is if it affects the kids.
S: AND IT IS AFFECTING THE KIDS BECAUSE I CAN’T GO
TAKE THEM AND GET THEM SOMETHING TO EAT!!
M: ah uuuuhhhhhh
S: CAUSE YOU DON’T BOTHER TO FEED THEM THERE!!
D: Do you want me to come get them and bring them over
here so they can eat?
S: NO DAVE I WANT YOU TO FUCKING GIVE ME BACK MY
CAR!!! AT LEAST IT GOES AND GOES!! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU KNOWINGLY FUCKING TRADED
ME A CAR THAT YOU KNEW FUCKING WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE!!
D: it does drive (laughing) it drives just fine Stacy.
I have been driving it for years now just fine.
S: RIGHT THEN DAVE, THEN EXPLAINE TO ME WHY I GOT INTO
THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND THE DAMM THING WON’T GO ANYWHERE IN FIRST GEAR!!
D: maybe it doesn’t like you. I don’t know. I wasn’t
in the vehicle. I couldn’t tell you
M: uh uh uh uhhhhh
S: you need to bring the Jeep back over Dave!
D: are you going to pay for it?
S: it just isn’t fair that I gave you a vehicle that
runs perfectly fine and you traded me a vehicle that won’t even go in first
gear.
D: the truck runs just fine.
S: no it does not DAVE!!
M: ahhhh uh uh
uhhhhh
D: yeah it does.
M: uhhhhh
S: WELL YOU HAVE TO STICK YOUR FOOT ALL THE WAY TO GET
IT TO FUCKING GO!!
D: And I don’t. I don’t know why you do.
S: YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO REV UP THE ENGINE SO MUCH
THAT YOU THINK THE ENGINE IS FUCKING GOING TO BLOW UP JUST TO GET IT TO MOVE!
D: well try going easy on it.
S: Dave, I sat in the middle of the road for A FUCKING HALF AN HOUR!!
M: aaaaahhhhhh
aaaaa I want the Jeep baaaaack!!! Aaaaaaa
D: well I don’t know what to tell you.
S: Well YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL ME DAVE!
D: no I don’t
S: Well I will be over to get the Jeep!!
M: aaaaahhhhhh Pleeeeeeese!!
D: no you aren’t
S: Excuse me!
D: you are excused
S: Its also in my name, so don’t tell me it’s not
going anywhere.
D: yeah? OK, you pay for it then.
S: you know, I can’t believe that you will actually
give me a truck that is unsafe!
D: It’s perfectly safe.
S: Excuse me!
D: perfectly safe
S: Really?
D: Really
S: So why won’t it go in first gear Dave!
M: Just give us the Jeep back Dad!!
D: it works just fine
M: I like the Jeeeeeep!! Aaaaahhhhhhh
S: That’s alright, you are the one that is going to
have to sleep at night knowing that you screwed me over on vehicles Dave
D: I didn’t screw you over
S: Oh really?
D: yeah
S: Then tell me why it won’t go in first gear Dave!
D: It goes in first gear
S: Tell me why it won’t go in FUCKING REVERSE TOO!
D: It goes in reverse just fine too.
S: NO IT DOES NOT!
D: Yes it does
S: No it don’t Dave
M: (Can we xxxxxxx?)
S: (Babbah and Riss, GET OVER HERE!)
S: Get in it yourself!
D: I drove it over there Stacy. And it backed up and
did everything just fine.
S: I thought you took it in and got it fixed! Or was
that a lie and you just made that up!
D: No, I got it fixed.
S: Then where’s the papers on it Dave?
M: (He TOOK THEM…)
D: Its around here somewhere, probably the same place
the titles are. If I can find that. Anything else?
S: You can bring the Jeep over while you fix the truck
into working order
D: The truck is in working order
S: no it is not Dave! NOT WHEN I AM SITTING IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN FIRST GEAR!!! FOR HALF AN HOUR AND THE FUCKING THING
WON’T MOVE!!!
D: It’s working just fine Stacy
S: NO its NOT Dave
D: It’s working just fine Stacy
S: It’s not Dave
M: (daddy took the Jeep away…..ahhh uhhhh)
D: did you get the letter from the lawyer today?
M: (…. Daddy…… ahhh uuuhhh)
S: Dave I called to talk to you about the truck. No I
didn’t get no letter.
D: oh
S: And what does it really matter?
D: you want me to read it to you?
S: I really don’t care Dave. YOU agreed to the custody thing. I have an e-mail
stating so, you agreed to it every other weekend!!
D: Holy cow!!! (laughs)
M: (Daddy want the Jeep back!!! Aaaahhhh)
S: Really! You don’t remember sending me that e-mail?
D: Stacy, I remember you saying that I couldn’t have
the kids anymore and yeah, we are going off this new schedule.
M: (I want my Jeep baaaaack! Aaaahhhh)
S: and you don’t remember the e-mail agreeing to it?
M: (I want MY JEEP BAAAAAAACK! Aaaahhhh)
D: You got to be kidding me Stacy! I am going to agree
to see my kids only every other weekend! You think I am going to agree to that?
M: (…BAAAACK!...I WANT THE JEEP BACK INSTEAD OF THE
TRUCK THAT DOESN’T EVEN WORK!!!!)
S: that’s ok, you can explain to the judge too why you
traded me a vehicle that doesn’t even go in first gear.
M: (aaaaahhh, uh, uh, aaaaaahh)
S: and you are going to explain to the judge why you
did that to the kids!
M: (AAAAAHHHHHHH, uh, uh, aaaaaahh)
D: the kids? Nice touch with Mirrissa in the back
ground there, that’s real good.
M: (AAAAAHHHHHHH, uh, uh, I want the Jeep
Daddy!!!! Aaahhh)
M: Ah, Daddy, I want the Jeep baaaack!!!
D: its right here… Mirrissa you shouldn’t even be
involved in this..
M: I want my Jeeeeep baaaack!!! Uh, uh, aaaaahhhh…
D: Mirrissa….are you done?
M: I want the Jeep back!!!
D: are you done?
M: ahhh.. Uh, uh… I want the Jeep back!!!
D: I heard you the first time Mirrissa.. are you done?
M: yeeeessss…
D: Fine, you know what, this is not your problem… put
your mom back on the phone please.
M: I don’t want tooooo.
D: So, OK, do you want to talk about the fun day we
had?
M: NO
D: Why not?
M: Cause I want the Jeep back!
D: It’s not your concern Mirrissa Lynn
M: I wanna Jeep back…
D: Mirrissa, its not your concern..
M: … I wanna Jeep back…
D: I heard you the first time Mirrissa
M: … I wanna Jeep back… I wanna….
(click)
D: .. Hello? Hello?
So this was horrendous. As I have
said before, Stacy can say whatever she wants to me, I was an adult and can be
just as nasty quarreling with her. We are just two stupid adults fighting. But
her actions for involving the kids and putting them on the phone to cry are
absolutely evil, selfish and unforgivable. There was absolutely no need to get
the kids upset like that. But in the end, the truck ran just fine and Stacy was
able to take the kids to CiCi’s pizza for dinner. The next day Stacy took my
bumper stickers off the truck and made it hers. But of course that wasn’t the
end to it.
Stacy from the beginning wanted to
get the title to the truck in her possession. The truck was registered under my name and the
Jeep under hers. So each year, when the registration renewal came up on our
birthdays, the notices went to the other person. This served as an evil reminder for Stacy
that she still didn’t have the title to the truck and her name was still on the
Jeep.
In 2005, my license was suspended in
April for $500 in back child support that did not get garnished from my wages
due to delay in procedure from the court order date. I didn’t have the money to
pay it back immediately and I didn’t need to drive since I was working from
home so I left it alone. One day in May, Stacy called and called and called in
her usual fashion. When I finally pick up she tell me that she went and got the
title of the truck in her name. I say ok, and? But she said that was all and
hung up. I didn’t understand why she couldn’t just leave a message in voice
mail. Then it occurred to me that my
birthday is in May and the truck registration renewal had come up but because
my license was suspended she couldn’t renew it.
I found it amusing that her vindictive action over a mere $500 dollars
to get my license suspended had caused her more money to get the truck
registered in her name without my consent.
Ongoing issue with the Jeep was that
Stacy wanted her “name taken off the Jeep”. I would have gladly taken her off
the Jeep but because the Jeep was financed in both of our names and I couldn’t
get financing for it myself, I had not choice but to keep it the way it was. Each
time I was late making a payment for the Jeep, Wells Fargo would contact her to
get the payment. Stacy of course was fed up with being contacted by the bank
for something she didn’t have possession. Each time they contacted her she
would call me and rant about how I “needed to take her name off of the Jeep” I
explained to her numerous times that it is not that simple because it is a
“debt” and it can’t be just “written
off” like a “privilege”. But she
continued to blame me and accused me of not taking her name off the Jeep. I
think she felt that it was my personal wish to be late on my payments and to
annoy her.
Most recently (April 2006) she called
me again saying the bank had contacted her. She claimed that she wanted to know
the mileage on the Jeep so that she can get it refinanced because it was
“messing up her credit”. I thought it
really peculiar that she now cared about her credit but then realized she is
now married and her disastrous credit is probably bringing Allan’s already poor
credit down even further. But I know that late payments on the Jeep are only a
small blemish in her credit compared to her other debts. I actually think that
fact she has the Jeep that is actually getting paid for the most part is
helping her build credit.
Of course I would love to be up to date
on my payments but it is not always possible and I hate hearing from her just
as much as she hates hearing from the bank. But the really irony of the situation is that
is that had she not gone the extra lengths to work with the neighbors of the
house in Lakeland, I may have not had to foreclose on the house due to lack of
renters. (The situation with renters. Click here). It is possible that my credit would have
been good enough to refinance the Jeep by myself before any of it bothered her.
Well I could have foreclosed on it regardless of her actions but it might have
been after I got the Jeep refinanced. Isn’t
it funny how things come around to bite you?
As it turns out, Stacy wasn’t
calling about the Jeep. Well who would seriously refinance a vehicle they don’t
have? (Well she did claim that she would come take the Jeep. But why would I
care if she took it and paid for it. I could just go get a newer Jeep to
replace it for less money that I currently owe on the old one.) I suspect the
real reason she was calling was because she had found the website and she
wanted to tell me what a lie it was and how I was in violation of the “shared
parenting agreement”. Takako had mentioned to me the day before that she found
Stacy’s IP address cruising the website for a couple of hours. So I wasn’t
really surprised to hear from her. Stacy probably called my step mother or
someone to complain about how the bank was contacting her about the Jeep and
step mom probably told Stacy it will mess up her credit and the topic of the
website probably came up. She probably looked of for it in a search engine and
found it.
So we will see if she is serious about
the Jeep or if that was just another excuse to call me.