Chapter 12 - My Kick
I received diversion.
Misdemeanor battery.
No prior record.
No serious injury.
Terms:
Twelve-week anger-management course.
Thirty hours community service.
No unlawful contact with Eugenia.
Restitution for documented medical expense—none beyond a clinic visit her insurance covered, but I reimbursed a small copay through counsel.
Dismissal after completion.
I accepted.
Some relatives complained.
“She dumped garbage on Niles.”
“Yes.”
“You reacted.”
“Yes.”
“Anyone would.”
“No.”
That sentence irritated people.
Many people would not kick a sixty-four-year-old woman onto grass.
I did.
Then Dr. Celia helped me tell Niles.
“Mommy got in trouble for kicking Grandma.”
He stared.
“Grandma got trouble for trash?”
“Yes.”
“Both?”
“Yes.”
“Grandma started.”
Children worship sequence.
“I know.”
“So Mom okay.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“If somebody hurts you, I can stop them. Once you’re safe, I don’t get to hurt them because I’m angry.”
He looked at me.
“What if dinosaur?”
“What?”
“T. rex hurting me.”
“I am absolutely kicking the dinosaur.”
He laughed.
Good.
Then:
“Grandma dinosaur?”
“No.”
“Meaner.”
May you like
I did not agree.
But almost.
