So much for trust

I've worked so hard on trust, and fortunately what I've learned mostly will stick.  But I had my trust shaken to the core this evening.  This has NOT been a good day.......

I've talked about the kid I hired for odd jobs.  I was so proud to trust him enough to let him be in my home alone.  I even at one point left a key out for him.  But when he didn't come for some reason or another I brought it in.  Thank God.  Sometime after that he mentioned something about "picking it up" that I ignored; he certainly was not getting a key permanently.  Anyway, I had to cancel big stuff on him a while back because of money and because of my episode. I'd asked him though to come by and put up a mailbox for me.  Which he has proceeded to not do, repeatedly, but always with a good reason.  He was supposed to come today.  Again.  Because of rapidly changing plans I've had the things to do it sitting outside for about a week, which the directions and a check clipped together inside.

As I said I slept most of today.  At one point I knew the cat had pulled down the curtains in the living room, but that happens.  So I ignored it and it wasn't until later when I was fixing the curtains that I thought to look out to see if he had done his job.  I was horrified to see the  stuff still on the porch with the mailbox open and moved.  Sure enough, all the papers were gone.

A series of text messages and phone calls with his fiance revealed that he disappeared Friday night.  He called into work with a story about a sick grandfather that wasn't true (I've had that excuse before too) and switched shifts, and then never showed for that shift.  Apparently nobody knows where he is.

I don't know that he stole it.  It could have been a kid.  I suspect otherwise, and that he grabbed everything when the cat pulled down the curtain.  I'm not going to stop payment, I'm going to let it be cashed and compare the writing to a previous check on the signature part.  Essentially I'm letting him hang himself with it.   From there I don't  know.  I may file a police report, but it seems like so little to wreck someone's life over. I wish he'd asked.  If I knew he needed 24 stinking dollars I would have given him $50.  But stealing means no more work for him.  No showing AGAIN and causing me to have to pay for a PO Box which makes my life difficult for another 6 months (I can't pick up packages because I am gone while they are open except on Saturdays) is enough.  I can paint myself if I have to; I can't be on and off a ladder but I bet I can find a sturdy something to stand on  instead.

Anyway, that's the end of my really crappy day.  Tomorrow has to be better.......