A BOOK ON U.S. APPLICABLE LAW
Deacon San Nguyen
HOME TRESPASSING
A great number of Vietnamese refugees did not have a chance to learn about American traditions and culture. Consequently, they made big mistakes and spoiled their lives unintentionally.
Andy was a military officer in Republic of Vietnam. Andy and his family including his wife and 4 children fled Vietnam in 1975 and were rescued to America. After few years of hard working, they bought a 4 bedroom house with all needed facilities for their family. Because of his financial needs, Andy had to work two jobs, usually 16 hours a day. He had only Sunday staying at home with his children. Alice, Andy’s wife, had to work, too. She had finished high school in Vietnam. After arriving to the United States and after a few years of practicing English at her work, she had a very good command of the language. Alice then was able to land a new light duty job so that she could dress up more nicely and made herself up more attractively. Andy loved his wife. He never had any doubt about her faithfulness.
One Saturday, Andy had a day off from work. He came home without informing his wife. He just wanted to surprise her. In spite of that, Andy did not see Alice at home. Asking his children about whereabouts his wife was, Andy knew that Alice went off since noon time as usual.
Every Saturday, their mother went somewhere and only return home very late in the evening. Andy began to doubt about his wife’s behavior. Since long time ago, some of his friends told him that his wife was having an affair with her boss but Andy did not believe them. He always turned the gossip away. He did not want to listen to such nonsense information.
Now, he felt that somehow his friends told him the truth. Andy took his sick leave to spy on his wife and found out that his wife really betrayed him. Andy saw Alice going side by side with Abram, her boss, at a shopping mall. At that moment, he thought that his heart stopped for a while. At first, he was very angry and wanted to kill the dove couple. Then after a while, calming himself down, Andy believed that his wife might just be a victim of an elaborate gallantry. Perhaps because of her simpleminded manner and her lack of sophisticated knowledge about the new world, she fell into a trap set up by his boss, Andy thought.
Andy left the shopping mall and came back home waiting for Alice. When Alice got home, Andy nicely asked Alice to walk into her room and told her that he knew everything. Being caught by surprise, Alice could not say anything. Then after a moment, Alice apologized to Andy and promised that she would not do the same mistake again. To show that she really changed, Alice requested her office to transfer her to another shift, instead of from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Alice would work from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 at night and under a new supervisor. Andy sighed in relief and believed that she changed already. In spite of that, Andy was still hearing the rumor of his wife’s extramarital affair with her ex-boss, and they even were seen going to lunch together.
Thinking about it for a few days, Andy decided to find the truth by himself. If his wife actually committed that terrible sin again, he would divorce her for good. One day, at around 10:00 p.m., Andy called to her office asking to talk with Alice. Her current supervisor told him that Alice already requested to be absent. Andy silently took with him all tools to be used on this spy job: a ladder, a flashlight, a wireless drill, rope and things.
Andy drove to Abram’s house. That night, the sky was dark, no moon. When Andy got to Alice’s ex-boss’ home at around 10:30 p.m., he saw his wife’s car parking about three house away from Abram’s house. Andy walked to the back yard of Abram’s as silently as a cat. With his ladder, Andy climbed to the roof of the house. As a skillful repairman, he climbed inside the attic very easily. Then he drilled a hole to a room that he believed was Abram’s bedroom with the purpose to find Alice inside that room with the ex-boss. However, Andy did the wrong thing. He drilled into the living room instead. Hearing the noise of the drill, Abram climbed into the attic and aimed his gun to Andy’s head. Abram forced Andy stepped down into the living room. Right at that time, knowing something wrong, Alice hurried out of the house.
With a gun in his right hand, Abram telephoned to his neighbor to come in and witness the scene. In front of a witness, Abram asked Andy what reason that made Andy sneak into his house like that. Andy answered: “I want to catch you sleeping with my wife red handed.” Abram did not reply to that accusation just forced Andy to sign on a piece of paper that he sneaked into Abram’s house with a bad intention. Andy would take all responsibility to repair the hole in Abram’s attic that cost $3.000.00. Abram also said that he had so pity on Andy that he did not call police. If he did, Andy would have a big problem with the police.
Having difficulty to find such a big amount of money, Andy visited me and asked me for an advice.
“Listen to me,” I said, “Both parties violate the law of Oklahoma. As stated in article 21, number 1438 of Oklahoma State, you will be punished at jail and will be paying a sum of money for the cost of repairing of the house. For Alice’s and her lover’s side, as article 21, number 872, both will be accused as committing an adultery. They will be in jail not for over 5 years or be paying a fine at $500.00 maximum. Nevertheless, many State District Attorney, did not want to spend much money for that kind of trial, they just ignored it.” I also told Andy that Abram was very wise. If he called police, he would be in a bigger problem. That was why he just called his neighbor (his friend, maybe) to witness what were happening. Besides, if Andy was brought to Court, a Judge or Jurors would have had sympathy for Andy and might release him all responsibilities.
Knowing that, Andy called Abram and said that he would pay only $250.00 for repairing. If Abram denied, Andy would stand waiting for a trial at court. As a man who had knowledge about the law, Abram accepted $250.00 and dismissed the case.
What about Alice? What about the relationship between Andy and his wife? I do not want to talk about her in here. Just let readers think about it depending on their sense and knowledge.
