Receiving Disturbing Cards

[Circularspandex]

Name changed because it's outing.

DH and I have been together for twenty three years and have two teenage children.

Last year, about a week before mother's day, I received a mother's day card with my name written inside and then a heart. Nothing else. I didn't recognise the handwriting. It was posted from a city which is at the other end of the country (NE and I live in the SW). My street name was misspelled on the envelope.

I was freaked out by it, but ignored it after a while.

We've been away this weekend, but have just found another one in our letterbox. Similar To My Mother card, with my name and heart. Written in the same green pen, it seems.

This time there's no address, stamp or postmark on it, which is really worrying. It just has my name on her front. Unfortunately our Ring doorbell has run out of battery and we haven't charged it.

Do you think I should contact the police? DH thinks I should, but I don't want them to think I'm wasting their time.

I definitely do not have any other children.

It certainly sounds odd and the fact that it’s happened twice plus the green ink! I’m wracking my brain to think of an obvious reason- are you or have you ever been a school teacher? Perhaps a former pupil/colleague?!! Or an elderly relative with onset confusion? An odd neighbour or secret admirer with unrequited feelings of wanting to be mothered by you?? Very mysterious please keep us posted 🤔

Could it just be someone who thinks you are a brilliant mum? My children use green pens in school. Are any of your children’s friends particularly fond of you? Do you remember doing anything particularly nice for one in the run up to Mother’s Day last year? Although it came from a different area last year it’s possible they got someone they knew up there to send it so that they didn’t feel embarrassed - sending it almost like a mystery Valentine, but instead they are a mystery admirer of you as a mother.

Thanks, yes just re-read and saw that.

As the first one has the distant postmark, I'd wager the sender is local to the OP but was in the distant area when it was sent - so I'd be thinking who she might know who went there in that timeframe.

Why would it be her uncle??

Pharmacists in a hospital environment use green pens. Other connotations with green are fresh, money, luck, envy or Catholics?!

I think the sending it ahead of time both times is to A) unnerve you / cast a cloud over Mothers Day or B) they have limited time to do these things so have to do it in advance? I’m inclined to think the former. The NE posting is a red herring and then trying to muddy the waters l think

I would be wary but l don’t see the point of involving the police at this stage. I would be taking extra precautions e.g. ring doorbell charged, maybe have a ring doorbell or camera on the back of the house? Lock down your social media settings. Don’t be too up front about when you are away etc

Instinct to me says they are messing with you, rather than a mix up in identity and thinking you are their birth mother. I would be mindful of ex’s (both you and your husbands) and if he has been playing away or someone has designs on him.

Our internal auditors use green pens as well.
The fact that the cards are addressed to Mrs J Doe implies an older person to me. Younger adults would probably address it to Jane Doe

Blimey, you're well off out of it. I come across a couple of blokes like him on the regular, we had high hopes of one of them being declared a VL at one point but he took a different tack for a spell & the happy day has not yet come to pass. The other one was recently arrested for criminal harassment, a more direct route to getting him to knock it off. Not that I expect him to without a custodial sentence, he's as mad as a frog trifle & will almost certainly plough through any restraining orders.

Could it be from someone who feels like you dont get enough love and acknowledgment from your kids snd wants to make you feel celebrated on Mothers Day?
One year i got my aunt a red rose and some chocolate on Valentines Day because her husband was a miserable twat.

Weird not to sign it though.

I have several green pens, they quite often come in a mixed pack and I sometimes use them just to write a shopping list. The green pen may have no significance.

The more I think on this, the more I think it is mistaken identity. I wonder if its a child who was given away or removed at birth (and presumably they didnt sign as they would expect you to know who they are) and wants to make it known that they would like contact. But for whatever reason they have the wrong woman. It would freak me out too, no question, but I cant see malicious intent in this. Otherwise why just two cards a year apart? You would expect something else as well such as SM messages or similar.

Weirdly your post has reminded me of a mystery package I received in the post years ago at the company I worked for. Inside was a pen inscribed with my initial and surname (unique and unusual name) which wasn’t mine and I had never seen it before and the letter stated that the pen was found in a local theatre and they tracked me down literally to my desk!! I have no explanation at all and my mystery was never solved.

Full face helmets are very common in downhill mountain biking.

For all those suggesting the police investigate, really? Its hard enough to get a police response to actual crimes. Do you honestly think they're going to use resources to check footage from local cameras to -what? Establish that some anonymous person who was seen riding in the area was in fact riding in the area? And then what?

I thought possibly something along these lines, or perhaps someone who is having difficulties at home with their own parents?

Get the Police to trace footage of the man on the bike.
Maybe your DH had a child before you married that he was unaware of. Or the maiden name of the person's mother was your current name - so one of your husbands relatives?

Other than a mistaken identity it is a loony or stalker, so another reason to let the Police know. He could have form for doing this type of thing and might be known to the Police.

I don't know, OP, it's probably nothing but even on the off chance it's something.... Why not tell the police and see what they say?

Have you ever mentioned to any friends/relatives your kids don’t get you a Mother’s Day card? I know it does look a bit suspicious, but could even be a friend trying to make you feel thought of?

Edit - typos

Unfortunately I don’t think you will know for another year. Do any of your neighbours have ring doorbells? Literally anyone down the street, any route that would lead to your house. They may see said person carrying the letter itself.

unfortunately unless this is the case I wouldn’t expect to know or find out, and I dont think police would yet be interested

The police won’t do anything. The person as weird as it is hasn’t done anything illegal

I would do exactly this, log it - they will probably do nothing, and in truth as yet there is not much they can do, but I'd log it none the less.

As to the green pen, what type of pen? that may give you a window into who did it. Sharpie / felt tip probably young / child, biro could be anyone, fountain pen (green is a popular colour for fountain pen ink) someone older, probably with a professional job who signs letters.

This made me laugh!

I was told by a solicitor in the Legal Aid Board that one of their solicitors who had been dealing with my ex husband was out on long term sick leave due to his carry on!

Maybe your DH had a child before you married that he was unaware of.

So the possible child, rather than send a Father's Day card to the OP's H and make contact, decides on 2 occasions to send a Mother's Day card to the OP? The second card being hand delivered!

I know there have been some odd ideas on this thread - but this one is just bizarre 😂

@Circularspandex
Contact the police. You can probably find an email either for the local section or a police officer.
Photograph the cards and envelopes and write a brief note.

One is an accident. Two is a bit freaky.

Who was the previous owner of your home OP? Could it be meant for them?

This is very unsettling. But my bet is someone who is mentally ill. In my line of work (fairly high profile journalism) I receive multiple emails and green ink letters a days from various people who think they are the son of Donald Trump or that the head of MI5 is their mother or I am part of a plot to destroy their lives etc. There are a lot of unwell people out there and it only takes one to be fixating on you.