...so says DH.

The "stalker" in question is an 11 year old boy in A's class who can speak volumes on Pokemon lore (something that A is also interested in) and is a generally friendly child. But he's on the edge of being that kid that always calls to find out where you are or if you're going to be home. Or if they can spend the entire day at your house.

I don't think he's a stalker. I think she's got an eager male friend who wants to spend lots of time with her before he leaves for France for 3 weeks before school starts. Wait a second, I take that back. He might be a stalker.

In an incident of either incredible timing or something we should worry about, DH was coming out of the house the other day and saw the boy in question on the little hill in the park right across the street from our house. As if he were watching the house. The boy waved, DH waved, and the boy asked if A was home or at YMCA camp. DH confirmed where she was and when she would be home, and the boy went on his way further into the park.

It could have been perfect timing and the boy was on his way into the park when DH came out of the house, but considering the boy was looking at the house when DH noticed him, maybe not...

When DH recounted this to me I reminded him of lesson number 1 when dealing with stalkers. You never ever confirm your child's whereabouts with them. Ever. This is how evil psycho stalker-ex from high school knew exactly where I was going to college because I kept it slightly under wraps.

There was a guy that I went through 4 years of high school with that went to the same college and he didn't even know I was going there until he and I bumped into one another our sophomore year. And the only reason that happened? He happened to live in the same suite as the guy I was dating that year. Total shock for everyone involved (except me, because I *knew* this guy was on campus and just casually said "hey, how's it going?") - ex-classmate was shocked that I was there and was speechless for a moment, boyfriend was surprised that I knew one of his suitemates, roommate of the ex-classmate was surprised because he and I had a couple of classes together and he never made the connection. Ah, but I digress.

Never ever confirm where your children are if you suspect that the individual asking is stalking them. I fully expected the phone to ring later that night while we were eating dinner. It didn't, and we've not heard back from the child. I've told A to give him a call to wish him a nice trip or to maybe get together for an hour or two before he leaves, but she hasn't done it. She's 11 and isn't confident about calling other people on the phone. (If they call her she's good, sort of.)

This little boy creeps DH out. He's always super nice, super polite - he paid special attention to DH at the 5th grade barbecue by coming over and saying hello and talking with him. That's not so bad, except the boy just kept coming *back*. DH isn't a paranoid individual - if he were, he wouldn't be in such a close sphere of influence to me. Even I'll admit that there's something about this kid. When he spotted me at the barbecue it was like a starving man heading for the All-You-Can-Eat buffet. He came walking very quickly from where he was just to say hello, ask me how I'm doing, and to talk about his mom (who was also very uber-polite like that because she wanted to desperately work at the company I'm leaving). She's found another job, but this kid still tries to glue himself to us. He even asked me for a hug when I hugged A before leaving the barbecue to go back to the office.

I've met this kid maybe 3 times and he *asks* me for a hug. And he's 11. Maybe if it were kindergarten kids that wouldn't be so, um, abnormal sounding. Of course kindergarten kids will just run up to you and hug you if they want a hug. But an 11 year old boy? That you've maybe spent 15 minutes total with in the 7 months he's been going to school with your daughter?

I'll agree with DH... that's more than a little creepy. Especially when you consider that he got a little sulky at the fact that I *wouldn't* hug him. So there you have it. A has her first stalker...

...I just hope it's her last.