why we have a big ugly purple van in our front yard

Last night we received a phone call from Tom around 9:30pm. My first instinct was to not answer it, but Tony's a much better person than I am. But in hindsight, I think my instinct would have been better to follow.

We haven't heard from Tom in several months which we took as a good sign (for Tom's story, click here and here). We knew he had checked out of the motel, but didn't know where he was. We figured he was living on his own or with friends.

It turns out he moved in with his girlfriend but they broke up yesterday so she dropped him off at his van (the same van he's lived in for the past year plus). The Zittings (the family who owns the property the van has been on) saw him come back and they told him he couldn't live there again. I guess the situation escalated and they demanded he move the van last night.

Which is when Tom called us. He wanted us to come help him fix the van so it was driveable and then let him park his van at our house (which we also took to mean he would be living at our house). We didn't feel good about this at all (understatement) and told him that wasn't an option, but Tony said he'd have it towed somewhere else. Tom didn't have a somewhere else.

We were still on the phone with Tom when he said, "they called the cops. they're going to arrest me - I have warrants." Warrants?!

The phone call ends and we're left wondering what happened until one of the Zittings called us back later. They arrested Tom and the Zittings want us to get take the van (which is stuffed FULL of every possession Tom owns) and the dog or they are both going to be taken (impounded) by the police.

The whole reason we got involved with Tom was because one of the Zittings knocked on our door asking for work and then he brought Tom along to work on our yard. And now we're responsible for him?

So Tony goes to pick up the dog but couldn't bring him home because he was so freaked out and viscious. Instead Tony came back at 10pm with a tow truck which deposits this big purple van in our driveway.

So that is why we have a big ugly purple van in our driveway.