Meeting the Judge

9.12am It's the morning of the trial. Well more of a hearing really. I'm still not sure whether I'm the accuser of the accused. I think we are suing each other, mainly to recoup the insurance company's money. So as the time approaches I'm feeling both anxious and unconcerned with the outcome, all at once. The hearing opens in one hour, so I better get dressed. My experience of yesterday's encounter (you'll have to read yesterday's blog for that) reassures me that it will not be a traumatic event, in fact it could be a complete anticlimax. Still, lying around in bed isn't going to help. See you later.

***

11.39am and I'm doing my blog from an Austrian police cell...Only kidding. I'm a free man! Hurray!

Talk about informal. The judge was about forty with longish modern sticking up hair and a long goaty beard. He brought in his fire eating juggling stuff. Only kidding. He wore a tie and suit but looked very casual, but he wouldn't look out of place doing street theatre in Piccadilly.The room was little more than a bare interview room. There were four canteen style tables set in a square. One for the judge, just the same as the others, one each for the co-accused and plaintiffs, and one for the witness. There was no standing up as he came in, in fact he was already in the room. I had seen him unlock the room about five minutes earlier, assuming he was the janitor. I also had an interpreter with me.

Frau Mosser wasn't there. Deanna gave her witness and was cross questioned politely. Then I gave my version of events, which fortunately was brief since I can't remember any of it. 'You are not being made to speak under oath, but you must tell the truth, even if you don't remember,' said the judge through the interpreter. They were keen to know where we had stopped before setting off, which side I'd landed on, where my skies were and a few other things, but all by way of getting the facts straight. There was no attempt to trap me into saying things I didn't mean. They all seemed honestly to be trying to get the truth of what happened.

Apparently I did speak to the police at the time and gave a brief statement, but I genuinely don't remember doing so. Deanna confirmed that I did, on the slopes, so I must have.

Then just as informally the hearing ended. We didn't have to stand for the judge, in fact he carried on writing while we all shook hands and said goodbye. The Judge also said good buy as we trooped out. I thanked Deanna especially for her contribution, support and help. Then I said goodbye to Christoph and here I am. The whole thing has taken less than two hours. Now we wait.

***

6pm I'm really looking forward to getting home now. I need to get back to normality. I feel as though I've been away from my normal routine for too long. Also there's so much to do for next week. Whatever the outcome I feel no malice for the little old Austrian woman who was probably more psychologically traumatised than me, and the whole episode has shown me who truly loves and cares for me. That's more important than any compensation that might be heading my way. Time to get back to my family, after all I have a grandchild on the way.As we were leaving the court the little Tyrolean goblin ran past, looked up at me, giggled sinisterly, and disappeared round the corner.