Update

Hey, Ms J. How's it going? Thought I'd better pop round and let you know I'm still alive.

Work still sucks. Yup. Still hating it. The micro-management and the constant threat of discipline, the negativity, the doom and gloom, the uncertainty of what's to come when we lose the GO train contract - it all takes its toll. Everyone is on edge. We're all concerned and our employer offers no information whatsoever. And don't even ask about the union, OK? Don't get me started. It's become clear to us by now that the union is deep in the company's pocket. Sons-'o-bitches. $130/month in union dues. For WHAT?? Like I said, don't get me started.

Colleen just phoned. Yeah, Ms J. Just now. The woman seems to possess some supernatural ability to phone every time I sit down to write. It's uncanny. To be honest, I used to find it intrusive. But when we discussed it today, she raised a good point.

"Yes, I do call when you're writing, Dale," she said. "I know when you're falling into the depths of negativity and so I call to rescue you."

I could hear her smiling on the phone. I pictured her beautiful face and radiant smile that always melts my heart and well, I feel better. I don't feel so angry, so desperate. She has that effect on me, Ms J. The mere thought of her is like a soothing balm for my turbulent moods. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Colleen is good for me. I like this girl. I REALLY like this girl.

Ivy will be spending this weekend with her father and Meagan is up in G-town with RJ. Colleen and I will be alone to pursue adult interests tonight. Mmmmmm ...

Right, then. 'Nuff said.

I called the FRO this morning. The Family Responsibility Office. That's Ontario's name for the government office that oversees child support payments. The FRO has wide-ranging powers under the law to enforce payment. They can garnish wages, seize bank accounts and other assets, suspend federal and provincial licences, even proceed legally with court action. The FRO are not known to be a helpful bunch where it comes to fathers. But I was lucky. The lady with whom I spoke was quite nice.

I explained my situation and she told me I had only to obtain a letter signed by my ex attesting to the fact that my daughter no longer lives with her mother.

"Are you on speaking terms with your ex-wife?" she asked.

I told her yes, although that's not entirely true. If I were to live out the remainder of my days without ever speaking with Kelly again, Ms J, I would not feel any great sense of loss. I've overlooked or forgiven a lot of her foolish and harmful decisions over the years, but when she moved my daughter a hundred miles away into an old farm house in the middle of a snowy pasture, and didn't even tell me where she'd gone until I threatened to report Meagan missing ... Well, that was the last straw.

But I digress.

"All she has to do, then, is simply send us a letter telling us to discontinue enforcement of the support. Make sure she includes the case number and the date it's to become effective."

I suppose Kelly will be expecting this. She won't be happy about it. But according to information I've been given, she'll have no choice in the matter. And it's reversible if Meagan should decide to return to her mother.

I don't want to call her, Ms J. I think I'll compose an email. A gently-worded email.

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