Sometimes They Just Won't Stay Away

Many years ago, when we lived in Groveland, my parents built our own inground swimming pool. It was the big project before the boat! Anyway, the pool was a great summer gathering spot for friends. Come autumn, my dad would cover it all so that the leaves would not accumulate and make a huge mess to clean up in the Spring.

One Spring, when I was about 10 years old, I watched as my dad uncovered the pool to clean it, 'shock' it with a heavy duty chlorine treatment, and otherwise get it ready for summer fun. That's when we discovered the turtle that had wintered under the cover! He was happily swimming about and it became a challenge to net him and remove him from the water before adding all that chlorine. My dad finally captured him, put him in a cardboard carton, and traipsed out back through the woods to a little stream to let him go. Then Dad finished his work on the pool cleaning.

Three days later my mom called out from her spot at the kitchen window. "Come see who's back!" We ran to the window to watch as our turtle dragged himself across the cement-work surrounding the pool, teetered on the edge, and then plopped himself head first back in the pool.
We knew that the chlorinated water was not good for him and too much would probably kill him, so out came the net and another rescue! This time, just to be sure, we took him far in to the woods to a clearing with a swampy area. Upon release, he swam happily away.

Until...a few days later...we watched as he plopped in to our pool!

This silliness just had to end. My dad netted him for the third time and we boxed him up and put him in our car. This time we drove to the other side of town and released him at a very large pond. That was the last we saw of him!

A couple of days ago I was struck be the similarity of the turtle tale to some news I received. Seems my former husband/cyberstalker/harasser has moved to New Zealand (with some family help). Hmmmmm, first from the UK to the States and he returned home. Now halfway around the world! Sometimes you've just got to take them further and further away or they keep coming back.