He's Free

 None who have always been free can understand the terrible fascinating power of the hope of freedom to those who are not free.

 

Pearl Buck

It's a wonderful Tuesday, indeed.  My son is free.  And, believe me, it wasn't easy.  I contacted the ICE office, something I should have done right from the start...but when things like this happens, you just don't think.  I trusted that an ICE officer would go to the jail to make arrangements for his release.  But, that never happened, it would NEVER have happened, because ICE had no record of my son.  There was no immigration warrant. The very nice worker who I spoke to said she would get in touch with a deportation officer and promised that we would get this straightened out.

Mid-afternoon I received a phone call from Homeland Security. The man called on my land line, and I had left my cell phone number for the callback.  Stupid me, I asked "How did you get this number?" He said, "Oh, you would be surprised." I guess I should have realized that they can get hold of anything they want. And furthermore, they probably knew everything to know about me and my sons.  I am sure they checked me out.

He assured me that there was no warrant and promised to take care of the matter right away.  I asked him how something like this could happen in this day and age, and the answer he gave me was very sobering...."They key in a wrong number quite often, and this happens more frequently than you might think.  Our issue is that while they are holding an innocent person. they are letting the ones that we want go free."  In this age of terrorism, that's pretty frightening, isn't it?  An officer keys in a wrong number, an innocent person is incarcerated, and a guilty party allowed to go free and commit more crimes. 

It's the stuff movies are made of. We cherish our freedom, but are completely unaware of how tenuous it really is. One careless mistake is all it takes to lose it.  Something as simple as a tying error can destroy someone's life. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and positive thoughts. 

When I heard that he was being released, I decided to go to the Center and have some fun for a change.  It has been a long time since I socialized with anyone aside from my hubby and a visit from my son.  It felt good to get out and mingle with people.   The weather was great, almost springlike. Too bad it didn't  last.  The arctic air has already moved back into the area.  Still debating whether or not I will go today. It's pretty brutal out there, but they are serving beef stew today...and I do love their stew. 

Hubby went to the SSD office today to find out why he wasn't receiving his retroactive money, and you will never, EVER guess what they told him. It seems that, because of all his health problems, he needed to be interviewed to see if he was ABLE to handle his money before they released it to him.  Once done with the interview he will get his money within a week.  Nice of them to tell him about it.  I can't tell you how many people he has spoken to that never mentioned it.  Heck, he wouldn't even know now if he hadn't gone down there to file for an appeal. So that is two issues that have been solved.

Now, it only my pension would kick in.   I called again yesterday and was told there were no updates.  The woman told me she would pass it on to a supervisor.  Like that really works!  They've done that so many times before that it means nothing to me.  It's so hard to be dependent on others, especially when you feel, when you know, you are being lied to.  I know I keep saying this, but I really do have to find legal help in this.  I haven't acted because I keep 'believing', and I guess that is what they are hoping for.  

Before closing, I wanted to talk about some good feelings.  Yesterday when I got off the bus to go to the program, another woman was headed there as well.  I don't really know her; we have never talked, so she surprised me when she asked if I would walk with her.  She was so afraid of falling.  "It's not that I would grab you and pull you down with me,' she said. "It's just that having someone with me makes me feel safer."

I know what it is like to be afraid.  I've been afraid of walking outdoors myself. It's been so cold and icy, and not everyone bothers to shovel. I was really in a hurry to get there so I wouldn't lose my regular seat, but I slowed myself to escort her there and make sure she made it safely.  When we safely arrived, she turned to me and said, "Thank you.  You don't know how much this meant to me today You made my day."  And, those few words made my day as well.  Kindness produces a ripple effect as it radiates from one heart to another.

If you have not often felt the joy of doing a kind act,
you have neglected much, and most of all yourself.

A. Neilen