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Disquiet

From this point on the correspondence got decidedly stranger, and she embarked on a series of 'character assessments'. I suppose with hindsight I should have been offended and should have taken steps to bring the correspondence to a close - but I was curious to see what sort of conclusions she'd come to based on two brief meetings and an exchange of emails. It soon became quite clear that a certain amount of vindictiveness was creeping into the correspondence, and then a strange pattern began to emerge in which I would receive a challenging email and then, a little later, quite a friendly one.
It was also around this time that the first suggestion that I was somehow interfering in her life was made:

At the time I simply put it down to a misunderstanding and gave my assurances that I wasn't responsible for any stunts or interference - and with the benefit of hindsight I can see now that this was the point at which I was to become to source of all Ms Souren's future woes.

At some point in August I played an outdoor gig in Southsea. Unbeknown to me at the time, Ms Souren attended this gig - something I only found out after she emailed me subsequently to tell me as much. I expressed surprise that she didn't come and say hello, as many of my clients do when they chance upon me at a gig.
From here on in the emails became ever more pointed and a new pattern emerged where Ms Souren would write some quite nasty things to me and then later retract and apologise. By now I realised that all was not well, and took those belated steps to bring the correspondence to a close.
At around this time a problem developed with the alto she had bought, and despite my misgivings I agreed that she could bring it along to a pub gig I was playing at in Southsea where I would have a look at it.
I did so, and repaired it on the spot for free (it had a bent key) but kept the meeting brief and entirely professional. That was the last time I saw her.

Things deteriorated rapidly after this point, and I received a number of increasingly bizarre emails accusing me of a variety of misdemeanours, including tampering with her email, leaving strange messages via her web site stats and, more seriously, alleging that on her last visit to my workshop I had copied down the details of her credit card and used them fraudulently. All the financial dealings undertaken with Ms Souren were in cash - I did not, and still don't, have card facilities.

OK, at this point it wasn't a direct accusation as such but I don't think anyone would take at all kindly to anyone suggesting that they might be a thief or a fraudster
I understood now that I was dealing with someone who had a number of psychological problems, and I did my best to warn her that her accusations would lead to my having to take action. This failed to make any impact and I eventually had to insist that I return her alto unrepaired along with a refund of the deposit paid. This resulted in a flurry of vindictive emails followed shortly by apologetic ones - but I knew I had to stand my ground and eventually arranged to send the instrument and deposit back to her by courier. I was instructed to send it to a coffee house.

Further emails arrived, following the same pattern of accusing me of various misdemeanours, retractions, apologies, excuses and general rambling - and eventually I felt I had no option but to threaten to take legal action if she didn't stop pestering me.

 

A few days later a number of posts appeared on various saxophone-related public forums. These were entirely vindictive in nature and repeated many of the bizarre allegations she'd made to me previously by email.
I choose to ignore them for as long as I could, but eventually I felt it necessary to respond. Some of the posts to one of these forums (alt.music.saxophone - on Google Groups) can be seen here: ( Simon C was Ms Souren's identity at this time ).

The saxophone world is sick

OK, I guess the previous heading shoulda been: Steve Howard is sick

to other SOTW members - from JJJ

Apology to Steve Howard plus explanation ( Note: The person posting as Burt Siler had the same IP address as Simon C, AKA Ms Souren )

Subsequent to these messages she was barred or restricted on a number of related forums - an action commonly taken against members who breach the rules and post potentially libellous material. I was again held responsible.

On the 12th December 2008 I received an SMS text from Ms Souren claiming that she had some important information to share which might suggest that there had been some kind of terrible misunderstanding due to the involvement of an unknown third party who had been doctoring her emails. This notion had been mentioned before and I had always dismissed it as fantasy - however, she claimed to have evidence. In order to see the evidence I was asked to set up a Hotmail account. I did so on the basis of curiosity and eventually received copies of emails we had sent each other in the past. Her claim was that my replies to her had been altered but someone who had intercepted the email, most likely at my ISP.
However, the emails were exactly the same as the ones I'd originally sent. I pointed this out, and also pointed out that if someone were able to intercept the mails they'd have mere seconds in which to alter them before sending them along to the intended recipient, and would subsequently have to intercept and change every email that quoted the first one they'd altered. I also pointed out that as the ISP provided internet access, they could in theory intercept any network traffic - including a connection to the Hotmail service.

At the time I think I felt more confused than anything else. None of it made any sense; there simply wasn't anything to see. No mangled email or IP addresses, no alteration in the text, no out-of-synch timestamps. It was only with the benefit of hindsight that I later understood that she sees only what she wants to see. She concocts a narrative and that's that - even when the evidence that's staring her in the face points entirely to the contrary.

Two days later messages began appearing on my web site stats. The stats service includes a record of URLs 'not found' - usually as a result of a mistyped URL or a server problem. By entering the site name and following it up with any text you like, you can generate an error message that will appear on the site owner's stats (i.e. www.google.com/hello there).

[Sun Dec 14 00:14:58 2008] > Yet Another Useless Web Site.com
[Sun Dec 14 22:45:54 2008] > btwgoodgig
[Mon Dec 15 00:00:49 2008] > X.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 20:54:40 2008] > areyouwritingcomputerforensicsfordummiesTOO.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 20:54:56 2008] > LOLLOLLOL.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 20:59:59 2008] > youareluckyIamnotAmerican.gif
[Mon Dec 15 21:00:04 2008] > youareluckyIamnotAmerican.gif
[Mon Dec 15 21:00:06 2008] > youareluckyIamnotAmerican.gif
[Mon Dec 15 21:00:23 2008] > knowwhy
[Mon Dec 15 21:36:32 2008] > GRIN-youSTILLhaveNOideahowItickHUH-LOL.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 21:36:41 2008] > GRIN-youSTILLhaveNOideahowItickHUH-LOL.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 21:36:43 2008] > GRIN-youSTILLhaveNOideahowItickHUH-LOL.jpg
[Mon Dec 15 21:37:01 2008] > jointheclub.htm
[Tue Dec 16 09:54:07 2008] > NOdufusthestuffyoupulledinOctsetmebacksomuchIhavehadtoputmylifeonhold.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 09:55:20 2008] > itsucksbutItrynottoletitgettomeasIcannotchangeit-cannotgobackintime.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 10:14:50 2008] > sadyeah.htm
[Tue Dec 16 10:14:39 2008] > basicallyNONlifeinsoton+thisflatworemout.htm
[Tue Dec 16 10:15:22 2008] > notmebutthefactthatigotsowornoutandlifeisnon.htm
[Tue Dec 16 10:18:21 2008] > chemistrybookwassupposedtobefinsishedatendofoctober-itboresmetodeathUGH.htm
[Tue Dec 16 10:18:39 2008] > chemistrybookwassupposedtobefinsishedatendofoctober-itboresmetodeathUGH.htm
[Tue Dec 16 10:20:56 2008] > ifIcouldIdbeplayingthealtoalldaylongthough.htm
[Tue Dec 16 13:43:20 2008] > Idowanttodomorewithcyanideyeah.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:43:47 2008] > butpapersareexpensiveandallthecrapIamdoingtoodistracting.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:44:10 2008] > I-NEED-tomove-can'tevenhavebookshelveshere.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:44:38 2008] > buthowdidyouknow-thatisSMART.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:45:03 2008] > btw-lookingforLIFEisSTUPIDimho.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:45:08 2008] > btw-lookingforLIFEisSTUPIDimho.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:45:17 2008] > butthatsjustme.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:45:24 2008] > butthatsjustme.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:51:44 2008] > thereareotherthingsIwanttodo-Ithink-needtotryandsee.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 13:58:06 2008] > maybeoverXmas-Ishouldtry.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 14:11:11 2008] > stubbornyeah-butmellowingoutabit-wellmaybe-LOL.jpg
[Tue Dec 16 14:11:26 2008] > ohwelll.gif
[Tue Dec 16 14:44:00 2008] > recyanide-consultancy-seepaperIintendtowrite.jpg
[Thu Dec 18 12:37:59 2008] > :-).jpg
[Thu Dec 18 12:40:54 2008] > btwthechemistrybookhasmuffinsinitLOL.jpg
[Thu Dec 18 12:42:14 2008] > YOURbookgoingOK
[Thu Dec 18 12:43:16 2008] > haveplentyofideasforarticllesetc-URrright-shouldDOthem.jpg
[Thu Dec 18 12:43:46 2008] > hadgreatideaminuteago-reallypleasesme.jpg
[Sat Dec 20 17:15:58 2008] > didtheyblockyouonSOTWbtw.jpg
[Sat Dec 20 17:16:58 2008] > IcanstillpostbuttheonlyonewhoseesmypostisMEwhichequalsblock.jpg
[Sat Dec 20 17:18:05 2008] > LOLIguessytheydonotunderstandjazzLOL.gif
[Sat Dec 20 17:20:16 2008] > ormaybetheydonotlikeitthisway-grin.htm
[Sat Dec 20 19:29:19 2008] > ormaybetheydonotlikeitthisway-grin.htm
[Sun Dec 21 11:12:05 2008] > blessedarethosewithouttelly-onmostdays.jpg
[Sun Dec 21 21:23:57 2008] > wtheyalso-temporarily-threwmeoutofWWFafterIleftkindaNICEmessagethere-ItoldthemIdidntWANTtobeback.jpg

This was all quite bizarre, both in terms of method and content - and I began to wonder if I was not only dealing with someone who had mental issues but who also had a drink problem. Over the next eight weeks I received over 300 such messages - some of which were abusive, threatening me with extreme violence:

96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:49:04 +0000] ItoldyouIdontgiveadamnaboutanything.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:49:53 +0000] youoranyotherdamnBritcomenearmeagainIstickaknifeintoyourgut.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:50:21 +0000] laughaboutthat.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:50:53 +0000] yesIcankill-IknowIcan.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:51:08 +0000] laughaboutthat.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:53:18 +0000] nowthatyouveruinedmybusinesswhyshouldIcareaboutanythingelse.htm
96.9.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:08:58:24 +0000] aslongasyoustayoutsidea10mileradiusfrommeyou'llbefine-winkwink.htm
85.214.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:09:02:26 +0000] thatincludesPCsandthelike-Iknewyou'dhackeditbutIdidntgiveashit.htm
85.214.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:09:03:08 +0000] Rememberthat-Idonotgiveadamn-aboutanything.htm
85.214.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:09:04:19 +0000] butIstillneedtosupportmyselfforafewmoreyears.htm
85.214.xxx.xxx - - [01/Feb/2009:09:04:52 +0000] interfereagain-andiWILLcomeafteryou.htm

Some messages corresponded to the IP address (the numbers to the left, above) of her known internet access account, others made use of a proxy server to hide her IP address, but the content of the messages were the same - some even referred to specific incidents. You can see above that there's a 4 minute gap between the 96.9 IP address and the 85.214 address, but the 'topic of discussion' remains the same.
She became convinced that I was some kind of 'super hacker'. This suspicion arose from seeing a pile of three routers that I had picked up cheap at the local tip (using one of them now, a Draytec. Cost me a quid - bargain!) along with a number of old computers that inhabit my workshop. I'm a cheapskate when it comes to IT - almost all of my kit has come from the local tip, and as fixing things is what I do for a living it's a great way to save a few bob.
I noted in one of Ms Souren's outbursts that she stated I ran 'racks of routers'.

At around this time Ms Souren moved from her flat in Southampton and took up residence in Southsea, a small town on the east side of Portsmouth.
I cannot say whether the decision to move to Southsea was a deliberate one, but it was well known that I regularly performed in the various pubs, clubs and music venues in that area. Due to the threats made against me by Ms Souren I felt it wise to curtail my playing in that area. It wasn't a decision I wanted to make, but as events unfolded over the next few months it seemed clear I'd made the right choice.

Next: Desperate Measures

 

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