Chapter 21 - The hose becomes a legal issue
I filed a police report.
Not the same night.
Next morning.
Vanessa had intentionally sprayed me with pressurized cold water after ordering me off the property.
I fell.
My knee was bruised.
No fracture.
No hospitalization.
An urgent-care clinic documented soft-tissue injury.
The exact criminal classification was handled by local authorities.
Ultimately Vanessa accepted a misdemeanor-level assault-related resolution with diversion conditions.
Community service.
No-contact order for a period.
Anger-management or behavioral coursework.
No prison.
No felony because people on social media wanted a dramatic punishment.
Patricia was not charged for telling people to remove me.
George was not charged for saying search the bag because no search occurred.
Again:
Cruelty and arrogance are not automatically separate crimes.
I considered a civil claim.
My lawyer explained likely damages.
Cost.
Time.
Evidence.
I chose a modest settlement covering medical costs, damaged property, and legal expenses related directly to the incident.
Confidentiality?
No.
I refused a broad nondisclosure clause.
The Mitchell side accepted narrower non-disparagement language limited to knowingly false public statements.
I did not become rich.
I replaced my ruined phone.
Bought new shoes.
May you like
Kept the old shawl.
The hose did not need to fund my retirement.
