Chapter 6 - Margaret calls the police
Margaret filed a complaint the afternoon after Thanksgiving.
She had redness at her scalp.
A small abrasion on her cheek from contact with the bowl rim.
No significant injury.
No concussion.
No dental damage.
I did not deny what I did.
Detective? No.
A township patrol officer took the initial report.
The prosecutor reviewed later.
My attorney was Dana Reeves.
Practical.
Unimpressed by emotional justification.
“You grabbed her hair?”
“Yes.”
“Forced her face into kibble?”
“Yes.”
“Did she physically threaten Evan at that moment?”
“No.”
“Was she approaching him?”
“No.”
“Then this is not clean defense of another.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
I hated how many useful conversations started with someone telling me I had no heroic legal shortcut.
Margaret’s attorney sent a letter describing my conduct as:
“an unprovoked physical attack.”
Dana laughed.
“Unprovoked is doing a lot of work.”
We did not answer with:
She deserved it.
Because courts do not assign physical-retaliation coupons based on social cruelty.
The prosecutor ultimately offered pretrial diversion on a misdemeanor assault charge.
No prior criminal history.
Limited injury.
Context.
I accepted.
Anger-management/conflict course.
Community service.
No unlawful contact with Margaret.
Case dismissed after successful completion.
Daniel said:
“You shouldn’t have to admit you did anything wrong after what she did.”
Interesting.
I answered:
“I did something wrong.”
He looked at me.
“She humiliated our son.”
“Yes.”
“You reacted.”
“Yes.”
“Anyone would.”
“No.”
He fell silent.
That mattered.
May you like
I did not want Evan learning that protection meant revenge by default.
Margaret’s behavior did not make mine invisible.
