Thirty Years Ago

originally posted 9/30/2011
I am a convicted sex offender, 8 1/2 years in prison. I met my wife and married her while in a sex offender treatment program that I volunteered for. I come from a long line of addictions drugs, booze, sex and almost every other kind of things that were so wrong. She has never even had a parking ticket.&nbsp;</p>
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Our plans were to start over, build a business, Be active in church and community (which for me was very strange) I started my own company, am an elder in our church. House, car, Harley, 3 trucks all paid for. It came as a shock when the police along with a news camera van Came knocking on my door. They informed me I was in violation of a class c felony (non registered sex offender) My wife was in tears when I showed up on the 6 o&#39;clock news.</p>
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I had to register with both the county and city every year, they changed that to every 6 months and now every 3 months. I must get a permit to be away from my house more than 3 days, I must have &quot;sex offender&quot; on my drivers license, I must pay 10 bucks to each of them every time I register. My conviction was in 1981 and I have been at the same address for 22 years. My shop and business are across the street from the court house and one block from the detectives offices. I have 3 licenses from the city as well as state and county licenses. My picture has been in the local news paper office numerous time while working on projects around town.</p>
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Yesterday I had to wait in line to pay my 10 bucks and my sunday school teacher came in, like a dog with his tail between his legs I hid in a side hall till he left. I still don&#39;t understand how they can fine and punish me again for a crime I did over 30 years ago.</p>
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Maybe I do deserve it but my wife and family do not. I guess the old adage &quot;God forgives, People don&#39;t&quot; holds true. I was repairing a air conditioner for a friend, she came to the door with a 6&quot; butcher knife in her hand. She explained that she got a flyer in the mail, about a sex offender moving into the neighborhood. I told her that was not such a good idea. I wonder how she will feel when she finds out about me?