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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 07/27/2009 : 15:21:26
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On Thursday evening, while I was giving directions to Chocolate Lady, I had to ask her to hold because I saw one of my neighbours [a woman approximatley in her 70s who's been menacing some of the more elderly residents]. She's had no official permission to keep a dog here, but she does, and walks it about 400 times a day. OK I exaggerate. She always carries a a stick with a nail at the end of it. She can walk perfectly well, so it is not a walking stick.
Anyway ... I can see the dog crapping on my property, so I ask the lady what's going on, and she says It has to do its business. I say, not on my lawn it doesn't. Please pick it up. She laughs. I say, it's not funny, pick it up. She says, I choose not to. Then she flicks the crap into the flower bed. I say, that's not acceptable, pick it up.
At which point she lashes out with her stick, whacking me across the arm. I push her away. She goes berserk, hitting out like a mad person on my arms and legs. I have no idea what she's capable of so I slap her. Not to cause harm but to stop her hitting me.
I go back to ChocolateLady and say what's happening. I say I'm going to call the police. I try to put a brave face on things, since Mr and Mrs CL have come to the UK specially for a nice visit. And I want them to enjoy the supper.
I call the police and they say they'll come to take a statement. By this time the blows have started throbbing. I call a few friends and neighbours - mostly to calm myself down. I learn that the  hell-harridan has met another resident in the communal garden. He told her that her dog must stop weeing on the internal stairs. She told him I had attacked her!
Mr and Mrs CL arrived and, though I was subdued because of the pain and the whole thing, I hope everyone had a nice time and enjoyed the meal.
The police rang back to say they couldn't come on Friday, but would definitely be there on Sat. They were. And were very nice about everything. They witnessed the bruising - nasty combos of yellow, purple and dark green. They saw my swollen finger which I still can't straighten, and which is so swollen I can't clench my fist.
They'd been dealing with hell-woman for nearly two years in her harrassment of other residents. But she'd never before actually caused physical violence. They did explain however that a prosecution was unlikely because there were no witnesses.
They asked me to prepare a statement for the residents committee. They really were very nice, and they did make me feel a bit better.
They said they'd come back today for a formal statement.
They did arrive and they'd been thinking that she couldn't just get away scot free, so even if it doesn't result in a prosecution, further steps are being taken. They took official photos of the bruising. I won't go into all the nooks and crannies but hell-woman clearly needs some kind of help. [help stepping off a cliff, perhaps -- oops, did I say that out loud!!]
Basically I'm okay, and rest assured I'm not afraid of her. The residents committee has told her not to walk her dog across my property. Let's see if she keeps to that.
Hey ho! Life on the mean streets! 
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RockGolf 
"1500+ reviews. 1 joke."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 16:10:21
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Are there no poop n scoop laws where you live?
Much sympathy, and next time if she comes at you with a stick come at her with a knife. That's the Chicago way. |
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Whippersnapper. 
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 16:45:02
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I blame capitalism. |
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Sal[Au]pian 
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 18:34:23
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That's appalling, B.B. It sounds a bit like that time I was maced and mugged for telling two people that they shouldn't talk in the cinema, so I'm with you on standing up to her even though she's menacing. Glad you didn't get any more serious injuries, which it sounds you were lucky not to given there was a nail in the stick.
Go to the doctor to make sure there is not a hairline fracture in your finger or anything, even if you don't feel you need to. It would be better in case there did turn out to be a prosecution. I'm shocked that there wouldn't be -- I had no idea that their-word-against-mine was enough to stop it when one party had no reason to lie. |
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RockGolf
"1500+ reviews. 1 joke."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 18:48:12
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| You're in the UK, right? Given the police know of this woman, can't they or you slap an ASBO (Anti-social behaviour order) on her? Hell, if they can put an ASBO on a woman who was too loud during sex, I think carrying a stick with a nail in it would qualify regardless of actually taking a swing at you. |
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 19:03:07
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quote:
Originally posted by Ro�k G01f, MD+
ASBO (Anti-social behaviour order)
Say what?
Good idea, though. They totally undermine the foundations of our justice system, but that means they're very convenient when things cannot be proven. |
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aahaa, muahaha 
"Optimistic altruist, incurable romantic"
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 19:12:23
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| I feel sorry BB. Pl. get well soon. |
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Whippersnapper.
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 20:13:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
That's appalling, B.B. It sounds a bit like that time I was maced and mugged for telling two people that they shouldn't talk in the cinema...
Hardly.
This time it's not funny.
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Sal[Au]pian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 21:05:42
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quote:
Originally posted by Whippersnapper
quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
That's appalling, B.B. It sounds a bit like that time I was maced and mugged for telling two people that they shouldn't talk in the cinema...
Hardly.
This time it's not funny.
What a charmer you are. |
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Whippersnapper.
"A fourword thinking guy."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 21:58:09
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Thanks Sal, you don't know how much that means to me. 
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 23:17:08
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Sorry, Baffy, that this happened to you. But I will offer this:
Short story? Novel? Screenplay?
I used to keep company with a little writer colony, and every time an outre experience was mentioned, they wouldn't say, "Doh!" or anything that silly. Instead, they'd say, "That's a story." My early editorial offering: who *is* that woman? Why did she? [You can *make all this up*, you know.]
Above all, remember the experience; then once you've settled down, try it out on the keyboard,
randall |
Edited by - randall on 07/27/2009 23:20:21 |
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Chris C 
"Four words, never backwards."
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Posted - 07/27/2009 : 23:35:42
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| Best wishes, Baffy. Get well soon, then go get 'er. |
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thefoxboy
"Four your eyes only."
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Posted - 07/28/2009 : 02:00:07
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| Sorry to hear BB, hope you are recovering well. |
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Sean
"Necrosphenisciform anthropophagist."
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Posted - 07/28/2009 : 04:36:34
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I think I'd have been tempted to solve the problem by trying this recipe.
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duh
"catpurrs"
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Posted - 07/28/2009 : 05:03:43
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
On Thursday evening, while I was giving directions to Chocolate Lady, I had to ask her to hold because I saw one of my neighbours [a woman approximatley in her 70s who's been menacing some of the more elderly residents].
OK, BB, the way your story began, I thought it was going to be a satire of the Professor Gates affair.
That sweet little senior citizen is clearly off her cotton pickin' rocker! Although I laughed at Sean's post, the dementia of the owner isn't the fault of the poor little dog. As badly as you were bruised up, it sounds as though you were very fortunate to escape more serious injuries.
Your insistence that she pick up the doggie jake reminded me of this story about my mother-in-law:
MIL's neighbor across the street had an Irish Wolfhound, a very large dog that laid poop piles that were as dangerous as fresh cow pies. My mother-in-law wearied of scooping them off of her front lawn. One day, she waited for the owner and his dog to walk by. When, as was her custom, the bitch (the neighbor's dog, not my MIL) had pooped on the lawn, MIL swooped out on her broomstick and proffered a shovel to the owner, saying, "Do you want to take that with you now, or shall I bring it over later?" From then on, he brought cleanup materials with him.
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 07/28/2009 : 09:48:11
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Thanks everyone for your good wishes. I'm trying to keep my head together -- not least because today's my deadline for my next M* piece.
But just to clear up some stuff. Laws in the UK are different from the US. As a principle it's a much less litigious society, and by and large there's less of a vigilante mindset. So, pursuing the justice route may take longer but is more effective in the end. I'm not saying confrontation never happens - of course it does.
My object here is not retaliation nor causing anyone else harm. It is to avoid the situation recurring and to send her a message her behaviour is unacceptable -- toward me, of course, but also toward the couple in their 90s who live in another flat in this building, whom she's been bullying for about 2 years.
Witnesses are an issue. She's manipulative and sneaky, and it took a while before people could see she lies when she says hello. I can't say whether or not she's certifiable but she's certainly a sociopath.
We live in private parkland so there is no street as such and no legal jurisdiction for poop-and-scoop. As I said she - or technically her son who owns the flat - was meant to get permission to keep the dog. But he didn't and the situation has become more complex during her tenancy. We've [we being the co-owners of the building] been told that we're unlikely to win a lawsuit against her vis-a-vis the dog because there is evidence that pets are beneficial to elderly people. If the judgement went that way we'd collectively be responsible for the court costs.
I'm only catching up on the detail of the past two years because I live around the back of the bldg [a mid-19th century stately home converted into 12 flats] - and so am not always aware of what's going on beyond the main entrance. I'm one of only 3 flats with a private entrance whose leasehold includes some land. All the rest of the 9 acres are held in common for all of us. Which does not, needless to say, include allowing a dog to use the lawn as a toilet!
I may have to bring a private prosecution against her and/or her son. At the moment, though, I'd better get back to my article.
I'll let you know any further developments.
Thanks again, all, for your concern.
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The nice policeman just left ...
