The events that transpired on August 5, 2007 – as written by Pauline Creeden
At approximately 1:30-200 p.m., Maureen and Tom Thibodeau’s arrival at Topline Horse Center (201 George Emerson Lane, Yorktown) was brought to my attention by my 7 year old son. My husband had told me that the Thibodeau's had voiced their position, stating that they would not pay their bill, but would leave. However, I felt that they were reasonable people and would certainly come to their senses after speaking with each other, and would not behave like deadbeats. So, I went out into the barn aisle alone to talk amicably with the Thibodeau’s about their bill and to reasonably speak with them about their position. I walked out to an approximate ½ way point down the barn aisle and began to speak with Maureen Thibodeau: I pleasantly said “Hi Maureen,” and she pointedly asked me if there was a note for her somewhere. I explained to her that I didn’t know anything about a note, only a bill on the door of her stall.
Tom Thibodeau approached Maureen and I from 20 feet further down the barn aisle and was calling out to me that “Your husband is changing all the rules.” I expressed to him that no, we are merely fulfilling the terms of the contract. His claim was then that they had never received a written notice of the raise in board, which was given with the March board bill, and every bill since had reflected the change. I replied that whether they want to say they never received notice, all the boarders received notice by way of their bill. They both approached me so that Maureen was approximately 4-5 feet away from me at this time, and Tom Thibodeau was approximately 2-3 feet away from me, standing perpendicular to me.
In a reasonable manner I began to try to explain to them that if they had come to us in a friendly manner to give us the 60 days notice rather than in a hostile manner, lying about our facility and our services, that perhaps we would have negotiated the terms of their departure. As I was yet speaking, Mr. Tom Thibodeau raised his voice over mine to assert that he was not lying about our facilities or services. As he did this, his body position changed from a friendly conversational one to an aggressive one, no longer perpendicular, but facing me and his face was approximately 8-9 inches from my face. I raised my voice in order to be heard over his. He berated me point by point that he was not lying and that the barn was indeed “going downhill.” To each point I in all honesty insisted that his statements were not true. At this time I waved my hands in front of my face and backed up a step, informing him that he was making me uncomfortable and creating a hostile environment, and I asked that he leave the property or I would call the police. He stepped toward me again, laughed and declared that he was not leaving without his horse. I informed him that we would be enacting a mechanics lien on the horse, and by definition the horse was our property until the paid their bill. I said to him once more that I have asked him to leave the property and therefore he is guilty of trespassing if he does not leave and I was going to call the police. He then returned to a perpendicular position crossed his arms and said go ahead.
At this point in time, due to the intimidation and violation of personal space I began to shake and panic and I literally turned around and ran away back down the barn aisle while choking down tears. Tom and Maureen Thibodeau continued to yell at me as I was running away. I was shaking, I was scared, and for the first time in 10 years of business ownership, I was being forced by this man, Tom Thibodeau’s threatening actions and behavior to retreat from my barn aisle to the safety of my tack shop and apartment. I have never been made to feel this way in my barn on my personal property. I ran into the barn apartment and woke my husband, Jim Creeden, who went to bed at 7:00a.m., due to working through the night. In fear and panic my husband awoke to “You have to help me, they are here, they are not paying their bill, they are taking their horse, and they are yelling at me, in my face yelling at me.”
Frantically I went from the bedroom (where my husband had fallen out of the bed, jumped up to get dressed quickly and put on shoes) and I was desperately trying to find the sheriff’s office phone number. When I couldn’t find it due to my anxiety and stress, I dialed 911, but then hung up the phone because I feared that I should dial the non emergency phone number as I felt that though help was needed, I, who have never even called the police before was ashamed because 911 should be reserved for mortal danger and not because a customer was becoming belligerent and aggressive.
At this time, I asked my husband if I should call the police, and he said wait a minute and he went out into the aisle of the barn and locked the doors. He returned for me and we went out to talk to these people together. My husband began by pointing out the fact that these people had repeatedly woken us up at before 6a.m. knowing that we work late hours, and that once again, they had woken him up. They replied in sarcasm “It’s barn hours, Jim, it’s okay to wake you up.” At this time my husband restated the fact that we were going to be enforcing our right to have a lien on the horse until the bill was paid in full. Maureen Thibodeau began to show concern that her horse, whom she had brought into the barn did not have hay, so I took hay and walked down to the stall and gave her horse hay while my husband was informing Mr. Tom Thibodeau that he was not welcome on our property. Tom Thibodeau was asserting that he would not leave the property without his horse. At this time, I returned to my husband’s side and Tom Thibodeau approached me, again violating my personal space while my husband was next to me in a perpendicular stance and Maureen Thibodeau was beside my husband, behind Mr. Thibodeau. My husband explained to Mr. Tom Thibodeau that the contract was not with him, but with Maureen, and that she was welcome to stay on the property, but that he would have to leave. He declared to me and my husband that he would not be leaving without his horse. My husband informed Mr. Tom Thibodeau that “Let me make this perfectly clear – you are trespassing on my property, and you are NOT allowed to be in my wife’s face.” Mr. Tom Thibodeau declared that “This is NOT your property, and I am standing 3 feet from your wife.” (Please note that I have stood at the same distance several times from my husband, measured the distance and the true distance was exactly 16 inches from toe to toe every time I measured it). When he claimed that he was at three feet from me, I informed him that he was at an uncomfortable distance, I took a step back and waved my arm in front of me with my elbow bent to express a distance in which I could not touch him, and said “This would be a comfortable space.” (Which my husband and I have also measured several times to be approximately 22-24 inches each time.)
At this point my husband, Jim Creeden, said that he would not be dealing with Mr. Tom Thibodeau on this contract but with Maureen Thibodeau only and began to explain the terms, while standing perpendicular to Mrs. Maureen Thibodeau. Mr. Tom Thibodeau declared again that they would not be paying their bill, which they felt was unfair. My husband stated factually that if they felt they were being treated unfairly that they could take it up in small claims court, but the horse would not be leaving until their bill was paid in full, and “by the way you need to leave my property as I’ve already told you. You are trespassing.” Again, forcefully he declared that “I am not leaving without my horse, and this is not your property.” My husband told him then he would be removed from the property when the police arrived. By now, Mr. Tom Thibodeau was yelling again that he couldn’t wait for the police to come, and “why don’t we really get things done and call the SPCA, too.”
By now, Mr. Tom Thibodeau had made it clear to me through his body language, intimidation, his refusal to respect my personal boundaries and my property rights that he had taken control of our property and now he was actually insisting to my husband, Jim Creeden – president of Topline Horse Center, Inc that it was not his property. Because Tom Thibodeau was creating a volatile situation with his aggression toward myself, lack of respect toward my husband, and our rights as owners of the business, I went into the tack shop and found the sheriff’s office non emergency number (as I was calmer and relieved that my husband was with me rather than feeling threatened by a man while I was alone). I called the dispatcher and let her know that we needed to have a sheriff’s officer at our business, 201 George Emerson Lane. She asked what the situation was, and I told her that we had a customer who was being threatening and aggressive, and that he was refusing to pay his bill, and that the situation was becoming hostile. The dispatcher asked me if I felt that the customer was going to become violent, and I told her in all honesty that I did not think he would become violent. (Mr. Thibodeau is a smaller man than my husband, and I could not imagine that he would attack my husband). As I was talking, my husband came inside, and I saw Mr. Tom Thibodeau through the window leave the barn and enter the parking lot, talking on his cell phone. I told the dispatch officer that my husband came in and could give her more information, so I gave him the phone to talk to her.
When my husband got off the phone, he told me that the officer told him that we should remain inside the building until the police arrived. At this time Maureen Thibodeau went to her vehicle where her two sons were waiting, and Tom Thibodeau was walking around the parking lot talking on his cell phone. My husband and I were talking and after a moment my son said “the police are here.” We greeted two police officers, Deputy Bowers and a female officer whose name I cannot remember. My husband told them the situation and gave them a copy of the contract. They went to the Thibodeau’s and spoke with them for a moment at their vehicles. The officers returned and Deputy Bowers told us that he would need to contact his supervisor. My husband informed the officers again that Tom Thibodeau was already told that he was not allowed on the property, he was trespassing and the contract was with Maureen Thibodeau. My husband told the officers to remove him from the property. The officers told us that they would need to contact the supervisor about our lien and what action could be taken to remove him as Tom Thibodeau claimed that he had a right to be on the property because his horse was here.
My husband and I returned inside to get a drink as it was very hot outside (I believe the actual temperature was about 95). My husband told me to put a short letter in writing informing Maureen Thibodeau once more that we would not be offering any discounts on the board during their 60 days notice. I did so, and I asked the female officer at the scene to accompany me while I gave Tom Thibodeau (who was still pacing the parking lot) the letter.
My husband and I were insisting to the officers at every moment that Mr. Tom Thibodeau behaved in a threatening manner toward me, and that we wanted him to be removed from the property during the resolution of Maureen Thibodeau’s contract. But the focus of the officers for the majority of the time was spent on the horse/payment issue. We were placed on hold for over an hour while we waited for the arrival of the supervisor to determine the validity of the mechanic’s lien.
At this time the two officers returned to their vehicles. We were informed that the supervisor had been contacted and that we were waiting for him to arrive. Mrs. Maureen Thibodeau remained in her vehicle on her cell phone. The two sons went to Mr. Tom Thibodeau and then went across the street to Royal Farms gas station after approximately 30-40 minutes. My husband and I tried to sit calmly at the front of our building, moving inside to check on our son and attend to his needs as he needed.
Mr. Tom Thibodeau during this entire 30-40 minutes was circling the parking lot in an aggressive, shark-like manner, asserting his “right” to be on the property despite the fact we had asked him to leave. Charismatically, Tom Thibodeau was smiling at the female police officer, who returned smiles as well. As he continued to circle the parking lot my anxiety grew even though the police officers were present. I felt overwhelmed. First this man violated my personal space, aggressively intimidating me so that I feared for my safety, he caused me to retreat down my barn aisle in panic; then, feeling empowered, he took over the property, declaring that my husband and I had no rights to our business property, refusing to obey mine or my husband’s orders to LEAVE NOW. And now in triumph he was parading around in a circle, clapping his hands together, exchanging smiles with the female police officer, and seeming to gain her approval. The very man whose body language threatened to attack me was now gaining the approval of an officer to march victoriously over our property that he had completely taken over.
My husband, who could sense my unease, asked me “how does this make you feel after the way this man yelled at you in your face?” So I told my husband that I felt intimidated and that Tom Thibodeau was continuing to be hostile. Jim asked me if I would like to talk to one of the police officers about it, and I fearfully said no. He said that I should, and if it would make me feel more comfortable, I could talk to the female officer. I felt that though the female police officer seemed to smile in approval at Mr. Tom Thibodeau, certainly when she discovered that how he had victimized me, another female, surely she would be understanding of exactly what kind of man Tom Thibodeau truly is. My husband and I approached the female officer at her vehicle, making a path that avoided Mr. Tom Thibodeau’s large circular pattern. I asked if since she had refused remove Mr. Tom Thibodeau from the property until after the supervisor arrived, if she could at least ask him to wait in his vehicle as the man had already acted aggressive toward me, and that his circling of the parking lot was making me feel uneasy and intimidated. I pleaded with her in all sincerity, from female to female, if she could please do that for me. The female officer looked at me incredulously, snickered and then begrudgingly went to talk to Mr. Tom Thibodeau. Again I felt the twinge of violation. Not only had this man with his charismatic two faced nature, fooled me into feeling that I would be safe in my barn aisle to speak with him, only to be assaulted by his aggression, but now he had gained the approval of the officer who was assigned to this case to protect me. I believed that if Mr. Tom Thibodeau had been anything but an intelligent, well dressed, charming man that the focus may have actually been on my protection. Even though Mr. Tom Thibodeau then returned to his vehicle, he continued to get in and out of both his and his wife’s vehicles in defiance.
We then went to Officer Bower’s vehicle, and asked if the supervisor was still on the way, and was told that he was. It was approximately 20 more minutes until the supervisor arrived on the scene. The supervisor, Officer Hickey, was given the copy of the contract and appraised of the situation by the two officers who where already present. In a matter of a few minutes, the supervisor asked us the amount that we were owed, went between the Thibodeau’s and us about 2 times, and resolved the issue by ordering them to pay the bill in accordance with the contract. We were promised that the Thibodeau’s were going to return with a trailer and the payment, and would be leaving with the horse. My husband repeated to the supervisor that Mr. Tom Thibodeau behaved in an aggressive manner to me, his wife, that he was not allowed to be on the property and we would not like for him to be returning with Maureen Thibodeau to pick up the horse. Officer Hickey then instructed Officer Bowers to advise Tom Thibodeau that he was to exit the property immediately, and not return or that Mr. Tom Thibodeau would then be guilty of trespassing. At this time we were assured that only Maureen would be returning to make payment and pick up the horse.
At this time I informed the supervisor that the snickering and insensitivity of the female officer when I asked if she could talk to Mr. Tom Thibodeau was improper and unsympathetic to me when I was the victim of a verbal assault by the man who continued to parade around the parking lot. The supervisor assured us that she would be corrected and would be removed immediately from the case for her behavior. He assured us that Officer Bowers or another officer would remain on the property until the entire issue was resolved today.
At that time Officer Bowers began to fill out the police report with my husband. I went to the barn to get the hay, grain, and shavings that we were providing with the horse as a courtesy to ease the transition into a new environment for the horse. After approximately 20 minutes, a horse trailer arrived, and the driver of that vehicle (which did not belong to the Thibodeau’s) was Tom Thibodeau. My husband and I were shocked that he would disregard the deputy’s order that he was not to return to the property or he would be trespassing. When my husband told Officer Bowers that the driver of the vehicle was the very man that had been banned from the property, he also voiced astonishment and immediately and quickly ordered Tom Thibodeau for a second time to leave the property. He walked away from the property and shortly was replaced with Maureen Thibodeau.
Maureen Thibodeau then made her payment by check and was informed that she would be committing a felony if the check was being written fraudulently. She and the trailer owner (Rosanne Tyndall) then loaded the horse, equipment owned by Maureen, and the courtesy supplies. When finished, she left the property. Officer Bowers informed us that we may want to send a certified letter to Tom Thibodeau to let him know once more formally that he was not welcome on the property and would be trespassing if he did. Officer Bowers further told us that we should absolutely call the sheriffs office if he should happen to return.
At the end of this situation, which occurred in 95+ degree weather, it was approximately 6 pm. This day began with me feeling safe in my house and place of business, thinking that I was dealing with reasonable, rational people. My feeling of safety was violated, in a panic I ran to my husband for help, and for the first time in my life I felt the pressure placed upon me by another person to call the police for help. Since this day I cannot leave my house alone. I live with the almost overwhelming fear that I might actually see Tom Thibodeau while I am alone. His intimidation and aggressive behavior made it clear to me that there may be no boundaries that he is not willing to cross if he does not get his way. In the same way that I am overwhelmed by fear, my husband has overcome his regret and anger; regretting that he allowed me to be in such a situation and anger at the man, his actions and those who might actually support him and his behaviors toward me. Remembering that Jesus himself was made angry with those who defiled the temple and recalling the quote from Aristotle, which reads: “those are to be praised who are angry at the proper things and at the proper people, who are angry as they ought, when they ought and as long as they ought”. But as Christians we must always remember that we have a choice in our actions-- it is imperative that we always attempt to see the good in a person, and exercise the good within ourselves even if that action is not returned by the offender. Sometimes, the most difficult thing is to put down your anger, review and attempt to improve yourself, and extend an olive branch of peace.
In life you find that it is very hard to forgive a person who has hurt you, even when they realize the pain they have caused and regret their action, asking for forgiveness. As hard as it is, we must forgive a person who is adamant in refusing that he has done a wrong, and even spreading lies about how you have hurt him. As Christians, my husband and I pray that we will behave in a manner that is worthy of Christ, knowing that anger has an appropriate place and time, but also knowing that there is always a need to forgive those who may abuse us.
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