TJ and his Nintendo DS

I had a surprise hanging from the driver side mirror of my Kia Sedona a short time ago as I headed out to meet TJ at the summer camp bus stop. It was TJ’s Nintendo DS, which has been missing for months. Not missing, actually. Stolen.

TJ and his Nintendo DS

TJ didn’t waste any time when he got his stolen DS back.

I knew exactly when it was stolen, as well as who did it. I contacted the company whose employee was responsible for the theft, and I gave them the chance to return or replace the game device without getting the police involved. After over a month with no updates from them when I supplied the model and the name of the game that was in it when it was stolen, I was ready to call the cops. I was considering doing it tomorrow.

And now I don’t have to. My faith in humanity has been slightly restored. A thief is still a thief, but at least this thief came around eventually and did the right thing. TJ didn’t lose his progress in his Pokemon Soul Silver game, even if all of his photos were deleted from the DS. We’re guessing the thief’s child(ren) took pictures, so all of them had to be wiped. But the things that mattered most to my son – which he enumerated in a tearful video I sent to the company over a month ago – they remain intact. He doesn’t have to earn all his gym badges back or replace lost Pokemon.

I know times are tough, but no one should steal something from a child. Very grateful to have gotten the game system back, though. Anyone who has a child on the autism spectrum can only imagine what TJ has been going through without the only electronic device that belongs to him.

I didn’t even have the heart to make him read for 15 minutes before letting him play it, per our usual rules.

Christina Gleason (976 Posts)

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.


By Christina Gleason

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.

3 thoughts on “Return of Stolen Property Restores Faith in Humanity”
  1. It’s TERRIBLE that a company’s employee took TJ’s game! And, I think you’re way too kind Christina. I’m sure it made you very angry and I don’t think I would have been able to be as nice, my evil redneck twin would probably have taken over.

    I’m so VERY happy TJ got his DS back, but I have no sympathy for the person who took it. Just because you cannot afford costly toys for your kids, does not mean it’s ok to hurt another to make yours happy. I think it’s worse than stealing from a store. As far as I’m concerned, stealing from one child to give to yours makes you a bad parent. I feel sorry for the kid/kids whose parent did this. What kind of life examples and morals will be taught to them? It’s almost predictable.

  2. There is nothing so joyous as living life with the belief the world is a safeplace. There is nothing so sad – when that belief is taken from a child. I hope TJ’s joyous world view gets restored.

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