Lynne and Molly's Trip--Day 5--Day in Court and Uncle Ken/Aunt Maurine

We rose early. Pam made us homemade bran muffins. Were they ever good! Moist and ever so good!

Driving to Bantam, we wanted to get to the courthouse early. Neither one of us had any idea of what was going to happen or how it worked. Those sleazy tenants showed up with her five month old baby. They still do not think they owe me any money. When they moved in, the husband had gone back to the Marine Corps to help with family finances. The younger woman was with a male “friend.” He did not seem like just a “friend.” Within a few months, we heard the Marine was being divorced by the po’ white trash that she turned out to be while the husband was (as my real estate agent said) “getting his back end shot off in Afghanistan.” It appears that she was pregnant. Close friend, I guess, as the husband had been gone much too long to father the kid. She brought her mama, who was also a tenant. The lessee already had six kids and at least one of those minor kids had kid(s) herself. The crossing guard near my house said that seventeen people lived in there. It’s tough to be a landlord long distance.

We had decided that she brought the baby to get sympathy from the judge. He was a very good baby, but who brings their five month old to court.

The docket was presented. We were #23 out of twenty-nine docket participants. We were to have a magistrate and meet in judge’s quarters. The magistrate was an old dude. He really intimidated me. He explained that each case would take a half an hour…that’s fourteen and a half hours. We’d better talk to each other and see if we could reach a compromise. Well, it turned out that when they did the roll call, half of the plaintiffs or defendants did no show, so that would be an automatic judgment. In some cases, it appeared that neither appeared. We got to “know” some really nice people including the tattoo lady, Victoria (whose plaintiff did not show). All cases were supposed to be done by 1:00 with a one-hour lunch break and a new magistrate. By the time everything shook out, only #23, 26 and 29 were left.

We finally got our turn. Lynne and I sat on one side of the table. The po’ white trash with baby in tow on the other. I had all my documentation. She had one piece of paper which she claimed prevented her from getting a mortgage. She may have tried to get a mortgage with her first two purchase agreements (but I doubt it), but the last purchase agreement did not even include her name. The deed recorded at the town did not list her name either but her aunt and someone I did not know (never saw the name before). The magistrate, who by now was probably tired and hungry, ended the hearing with “by mail!”

In order words, my judgment. He has forty-five days to decide. This is now day ten or so. We have heard nothing. I really felt with all my documentation that it was a Daryl Dawkins slam dunk, but I guess not. I can’t believe that it was not settled.

After we left court, we headed out to eastern Connecticut to see Lynne’s family. We stopped at a friend’s off of Route 44 to pick up the most delicious beef jerky in the world (I don’t usually like jerky, but this is, oh so good). Then we stopped at Bob’s in Avon to pick up a UCONN hat for me and Boston Red Sox shirt for Lynne’s daughter.

We arrived at Uncle Ken’s and Aunt (this is New England…the word is pronounced au-nt not ant) Maurine’s. They have adopted me into the family. They have five married children and lots of grandchildren (lots of cousins for Lynne). We arrived late afternoon. Three of their children, spouses and one granddaughter came and threw us a picnic. Their hospitality is amazing. Some of them are vegan; others love cheeseburgers. We spent the night with them. Lynne and Uncle and Aunt stayed up to one-ish. I had gone to bed around eleven.

Irene is still moving in and out of my life.  Cousins Robin and Russ in eastern Connecticut had just gotten power back.  Sheryl and Bart of northeastern Connecticut still had not power.  They brought their laundry to use Mom's equipent during the picnic.  The were the first leave.  Dave, the perpetual clown, said after Sheryl and Bart left something about the wet clothes in the washing machine.  Of course, there were none, but it made a couple of the group jump to the conclusion that Sheryl had left them behind.  The family really pulls together.  Sheryl brought lots of coolers.  And everyone else brought ice for her to take home.

I love Lynne's extended family.