Assaulted by a Stranger Last Night in QUOTIDIEN

I am disturbed.

I live on a quiet, country road -no traffic except for the residents of 8 homes. When the headlights shone in my living room window. I immediately peered out the window. There was a car just sitting there with its brights on. He slowly backed out of my drive, then headed out to my neighbor's house and parked in her circle drive. I called the neighbor, a woman who is separated and living alone with kids, asking if she knew there was someone in her drive. She was on her way home - with the kids.

So I headed out to see what this guy wanted.

I was at the end of my drive when I realized he was out of his car, peering in windows with his flashlight. I think I yelled, 'HEY'. He saw me and got back in his car (still parked in the driveway), and shone a light straight at my face. I approached the car, and held out my hand to shield myself from the light. He yelled at me to never reach into his car, and punched me in the chest.

Cops came, took my statement. They had already caught the guy, who was a repo man looking to repo a car down and on the other side of the street. This morning, I had my chest xray'd, and am being treated for a chest wall contusion. This puppy hurts!

Here is what bothers me.

The instant move to violence. What the hell is wrong with this country where, regardless of your job description, courtesy has become a foreign concept. Cops don't have to be assholes, repo men don't have to be such hard asses that they would punch a 51 year old woman in the chest. It would have been just as easy, and much more agreeable for hi to have simply said, 'Sorry to bother you, ma'am. I'm looking for this address. Would you know where that is?' Instead, he chose to intimidate me with his blinding light, on private property (trespassing as I mentioned several times), and punching me.

Twenty five years ago, we lived next to 1%ers. Never felt safer in my life. Mean looking, scruffy, dirty, pot-smoking, beer guzzling men. But when it came to their neighbors, or the old man down the street, their leader was adamant that his boys were to exercise courtesy and to be downright protective of us.

Even the supportive responses last night often fell towards violence. 'Why didn't you shoot him?!'

While I appreciate the love and staunch support, choosing to take a life should never fall out of one's lips as easily as naming what you've had for lunch. I am heartbroken by the whole thing. Angry, and hurting.

I will live through the bruise on my chesticle, but what I fear I will never overcome is how damned violent this world has become.

I am pressing charges, and filing a civil suit against the repo company. I am not looking for money, but for the sake of public awareness (and my medical bill).