Chapter 13 - My Charge
The prosecutor offered me diversion for misdemeanor battery.
Jocelyn did not suffer serious injury.
One slap.
No prior record.
I accepted.
Anger management.
Community service.
No unlawful contact.
No new offense.
The case would be dismissed if completed.
Some friends called it unfair.
I stopped them.
“It’s fair enough.”
“But she abused Emmett.”
“Yes.”
“And you reacted.”
“Yes.”
“Anybody would.”
“No.”
Many people would not hit.
I needed to remember choice.
Dr. Lowe suggested I explain to Emmett only what he needed.
“Daddy got in trouble for hitting Jocelyn.”
He stared.
“Police?”
“A little.”
“Because hit wrong?”
“Yes.”
“Even she bad?”
“Yes.”
He nodded slowly.
Then:
“Good.”
I almost laughed.
“Good?”
“Then she can’t say only kids have rules.”
That was better than any anger-management workbook.
Then program.
The counselor asked:
“What were you trying to accomplish?”
“Stop her reaching for him.”
“Could you have?”
“Yes.”
“Without slap?”
“Yes.”
“So what was slap for?”
I stared.
“Punishment.”
There.
Like Jocelyn’s porch.
Different scale.
Same temptation.
Make someone feel consequences with your body instead of systems.
I completed every session.
May you like
Not because I thought I was like Jocelyn.
Because I did not want difference in scale to become an excuse.
