So, some strangers come into your house uninvited...

[rolanni]

...and start messing around with things. You're alone, so you pick up your axe and walk outside to talk to them about the situation.

What happens?

Well, if you've been living there for 16 years, never caused any trouble, the cops and the town and most of the people in the town (including me) knew you and even liked you -- you will go to jail for "criminal threatening", your animals will be confiscated, your property such as it is will be condemned, and the people who know all about what's Good for You will talk about getting you Help.

Thanks for going to Nam for us, Peter. Really appreciate your trouble.

Goddammit.

WATERVILLE -- A familiar figure about town who has squatted on land off College Avenue for 16 years with a variety of animals has been arrested and charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

Peter Michaud, 59, is scheduled to remain in the Kennebec County jail in Augusta at least until Monday, when he is to appear before a Waterville District Court judge to have his bail amount reviewed. Bail was set Friday at $1,000 cash.

The rest of the story

Comments

[technomom]

I'm unclear - were the people he threatened agents of the property owner?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Not the way I read it.

The property did change hands back in October, but the new owner was aware that Peter was on the land when he bought it, raised no objections to him being there, and allowed him to remain. Far as I can make it, these were random trespassers out to yank on the Crazy Guy's chain. For which they get off scot-free, without even having their names in the paper so we can all know to avoid dealing with them in future, while Peter loses everything.

The whole reason he was out there living in the woods like he did was because that was what worked for him. He'd been in group homes and in Helping Situations and all it did was make him worse. He had the guts, vision and preserverance to carve out a niche where his life was fulfilling and enjoyable for him, where he caused minimal trouble for anyone else -- and I'm talking minimal trouble -- he's pleasant and willing to pitch in and help when he can. He did sometimes get angry. Hell, sometimes I get angry.

In fact, I'm angry right now.

[technomom]

I despise assholes.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

The real sadness here is that if this man has tried the group homes, etc. and knows they don't work, then what they're building up to is a death sentence. They will pull him from his environment and it will kill him.

Too many people slip through the system.