with boots on

Sun 9.4.22

It is now 3 years, 2 months in which I am in court with my now former landlord and its maintenance company.  This is about abuse of power, my power.  I was badly abused by these people.  Their behavior was so over the top, so vicious, that I decided to take them to court.  I don’t make such a decision lightly.  I follow the rule I have set for myself for engaging in battle.  If it is not worth placing my life on the line for, then my commitment is partial, so not fully committed, easily checked.  Sounds drastic?  You would be amazed by all the ego squabble s you are able to walk away from with such an attitude.  It’s not worth it.  I know who I am and don’t have to prove it.

My first foray was to state court, an order to show cause, seeking an injunction to prevent them from removing the gazebo they had given me permission to place in the yard in front of my apartment.  They set me up, i.e. they gave me a permission which they had no intention of fulfilling.  It took me a while to figure this out.  At first, I thought that an error had been made.  I have had to learn so many laws, procedures since that initial venture that I have gone through 10 plus reams of paper in my conversations with the courts.  Some judges come to respect me for what I’m doing, others are out to get me.  But, I am admired and cheered on in the clerks’ offices employees who see me as a David against the goliath legal system.

Beyond the gazebo case, their followed an eviction which I survived, then a complaint for discrimination with the Maine Human Rights Commission and the ongoing case in federal Court for that same discrimination complaint.  There was the second eviction which I lost and was rendered homeless.  My opponents are making sure I remain homeless by giving me bad references.  If need be, and I am not thwarted, I would take this matter all the way to the supreme court.  

Presently, I am about to present my response to my opponents’ motion for summary judgment on the coming Tuesday.  Do they have the goods to do this?  We’ll see.  The Donald, has the same philosophy.  Don’t ever settle, he says.  That sets a bad precedent and you are seen as a soft touch.  It is a real gamble because I am easily flummoxed by the rules and procedures I am ignorant of.  Courts don’t give you a pass on these matters.  One needs to develop sang-froid and more.  But I am willing to do it.  You can’t be defeated with such an attitude because you are prepared to accept the results.  It is never about winning or losing, I leave that to the lawyers who always have money in the game, so possible painful and humiliating loss.  That’s a disadvantage.

My focus is the gamble, I will give it my best shot and the rest is up to the Spirit. You may not abuse me; it is my line in the sand.  I am prepared to die with my boots on, as the cowboys say.