My Accusers

Fantasy Land

With underhanded, unmitigated gall, my new California neighbors *Mitchell Mange and *Patrice Pavis intentionally schemed to get attention of the court with sensational claims. Concocted cases brought against me were premised upon exaggerations and unsubstantiated, grossly hurtful fictions.  They made-up horrible fabrications; what a pair. What they did was incomprehensively evil. Never before have I witnessed such shameful, sinister vitriol. Fair to say that about the only thing they got right was my name. I can imagine gleeful high-fives as they congratulated each other on clever accusations submitted to court – product of a bizarre sense of righteous entitlement fueled by devious insanity. Once in court they could have been honorable and reconsidered their illegitimate mission. Instead, they doubled-down.

They accused me of luring, shooting, poisoning and killing birds (more on this later). They insisted one of my home security cameras was essentially a spy camera pointed at their bedroom window and put forth a convoluted explanation including mention of a mirror in the room to corroborate their inconceivable contention. In written testimony, paranoid Pavis identified it as a “security?” camera to insinuate it was there for a different, perhaps nefarious purpose. When questioned by her attorney, Pavis vaguely implied that when over for dinner I could have somehow slipped away unnoticed and prowled their bedroom. Before things soured, Mange inquired about my security cameras because they might have a system installed so I told him everything I knew. No sign of an issue. Later, as part of their grand deception he incorrectly stated the camera “moves from time to time” to add credence to their wacko spy camera notion. That’s what Mange and Pavis did; painted things absolutely (and untruthfully). They put spin on nearly everything no matter how outlandish it sounded.

Pavis went on about how she was afraid in her own house, locked the doors, and was fearful of going outside alone. She complained that “…ever since I discovered his security camera focused on my bedroom window” they were so bothered they did not sleep in their own bed – instead a couch elsewhere in the house. Astoundingly they admitted there were no window coverings while having lived there for over six months. Don’t make it my problem! Even though that security camera was definitely not pointed at their window around 50 feet away (or any window), I wonder, had they ever thought of thumb tacks and a bed sheet? Mange, her dutiful husband the pliable confederate, co-conspirator and enabler, stood by his wife and echoed her irrational fears. If they had heeded my request to be left alone, perhaps ensuing drama would not have occurred. But peace, respect, and ethical behavior does not work for vindictive bullies. They are nothing more than insecure cowards afraid to face themselves who instead inflict pain of their self-loathing onto others.

View from my security camera as submitted to court. NO windows seen (neighbor house on right). In court, confused and desperate Pavis tried to suggest that the gable vent was somehow a window. She was so certain yet so wrong about the spy camera. What a whack job. 

 

Earth to Mitchell and Patrice

In our few interactions, Mange sometimes made nonsensical comments or worse. For example when I offered to loan him my wheelbarrow he declined, stating “Wheelbarrows make things heavier.” Another time I tried to educate him on health hazards of natural radioactive radon gas found in homes here. Next time we talked he reported he’d found a guy on the internet who described the radon gas abatement industry as “Largely bullshit.” End of discussion. Mange had a habit of wandering over (read: dropping-by unannounced) when he saw me working in my yard. That’s when our small talk occurred. One time out-of-the-blue, Mange asked me what I had been spray-painting (days before, mind you). Surely unseen by him (perhaps he had detected paint odor in the air,) I had painted some metal pieces around 100 feet from their back door.  What was with this and similar inquiries? I did not ask about what he was doing; not my concern. Between the two of them, their comments tended to be unsophisticated; almost child-like.

I was building a shed when one day Mange predictably ambled over and asked something about the construction. He said he was going to build a “lean-to” on the side of his house facing mine. I reminded him that there was a set-back requirement; that he wouldn’t have room to build. He seemed unconvinced. I grabbed my tape measure and sure enough, his “lean-to” would have to be no more than around a foot deep.  So I said why not build a shed on the north side of your house like I was doing; plenty of room. “Patrice doesn’t want that” he said. I thought to myself: “And who would be doing the work?” Typical; been there. So I said something critical yet accurate: “Thanks for reminding me why I’m single.” I chuckle even now about how forward that was. Mange said nothing. Another time he (a 70 year-old man)  told me that his father was “A real bastard.” Why reveal this to me, a stranger? What could I do? As time would tell, they struck me as people with a tendency to blurt personal information and oddities without effective social filters. This made me increasingly uneasy. I appreciate excentric, but these two were just weird.

In one of our brief front yard visits (got cornered again), Mange and I discussed our health. I mentioned a heart scan came back with no sign of dangerous plaque build-up. So in jest said while my heart won’t get me, maybe a jealous husband would. It was a joke! He looked at me in all seriousness and robotically said if anyone messed with his wife, he’d shoot them. What? I wondered is he terribly dense, lack humor, senile or addled? Another time he mentioned they once had a pet dog – adding Pavis was protective of the animal – stating if anyone messed with the dog, she’d shoot them with a shotgun. Good grief! Because Pavis told me she was a psychologist, I said “That must be the psychologist in her” – to give him opportunity to readjust, make light of, or at least recognize the potential impact of what he’d just said. There are better ways to get your point across, dude! Mange did nothing – just stood there stone-faced and unaware. This was shocking and scary; not so much due to his now second mention of guns but because he seemed unable to grasp the gravity of his words; scrambled, clueless. I did not take him to be a gun owner, just pretty screwed-up for saying that. I never indicated that either he or Pavis intended to shoot me but that did not stop my accusers from faking. Mange and Pavis vehemently denied his gun references and accused me of fabrication, yet he inexplicably admitted them to a deputy sheriff; a contradictory discrepancy like him labeling me “weirdly avoidant” while they also testified that I was dropping-by unannounced and staking them. You can’t have it both ways. Just more dreamt-up chicanery. I suppose that’s what happens when you haven’t a rational, sane person review your garbage before tendering it to court. Of course asleep-at-the-wheel Judge Justin Fay did not catch much if any of their foolish ruse. And all of this came after only around 8 hours total of interaction with them. The things you discover about people; everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Mange’s ‘weirdly avoidant’ remark referred to why I had not been seen or heard from for maybe a month (following when I sent them my “leave me alone” text). None of us said let’s be great inseparable pals. I had other things going on so not having them on my social calendar should not be anything to note; why on earth would the court even care? If I had happened to see either one of them, I’d have given the polite neighbor wave. He makes it sound like if I saw them I ran the other way (which in hindsight would have been the smart thing to do). My gut feeling is that when I basically said no thank you to a possible friendship, they did not know how to deal with that like emotionally secure adults. Another explanation is that Pavis went from disappointed when I ignored advances to infuriated once I cut communications with them because then her fantasy and opportunity were not going anywhere. As the saying goes, ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.’ This would account for her excessive vitriol. In another part of their fictional account they purported we’d made some sort of pact to not just drop by unannounced but that I disobeyed and made them uncomfortable. An agreement like that would work fine for me although it was never established, and certainly never adhered to by them. Yet if in the background Pavis was having a psychotic melt-down about imagined stalking, I was totally unaware. But whoops, these two scoundrels forgot to call ahead and give a heads-up the day the two of them peeped on me in my backyard and accused me of killing birds. How freaking idiotic. I would have been happy to forget all about them but they upped the ante with a cruel onslaught.

 

Truth Be Damned

As they brought forth their attack, Mange and Pavis took the ‘jealous husband’ joke and flipped it to make me look irrational; another part of their evil spin. Mange offered it to the court instead as some stray, out-of-context remark he pretended I made the very day we met! Untrue. In testimony, Mange misstated that a text I sent Pavis (on 9 June) accused him of threatening to shoot me, and “…that (Mange) was aggressive, violent. He made similar accusations about ‘Patrice’.” Not true; all the text disclosed was to dryly recite Mange’s gun comments, and then only because I thought that as his wife and a psychologist, Pavis should know what he’d been saying. Now I know better. I criticized their landscape, advised that another reason they had not seen me for a while was because I was dealing with a health issue, and asked them to leave me alone. That was it; no assumptions about behavior or motivation; cut and dried. It was literally my ‘We’re neighbors and let’s just leave it at that’ message. Mange admitted in testimony that his recitation about my text was extemporaneous – then just made-up fiction; no effort to fact-check. What, too difficult to have the actual text before you as reference, or would that spoil your ruse? Mange’s assertions were typical of wild exaggerations made to endorse their protection order petitions; truth be damned. They submitted that text to court. It did not validate any of his claims. Why court never admonished them for their endless deception remains puzzling but I suspect lack of logical fact-checking, a judge putting undue faith in typically disallowed hearsay – not to mention the hearing was apparently held during Judge Fay’s nap time.

Mange and Pavis alleged I repeatedly, randomly and anxiously brought up fear of “getting shot by (or die from) a jealous husband” in conversations with them. Pavis went further and theatrically testified “RM keeps insisting my husband ‘Mitch’ is ‘a jealous husband who wants to shoot (him)’.” So when exactly was I supposed to have been saying this, and to whom? She added this (fictional) contention of hers “makes me feel nervous that RM has a fantasy that he and I are going to have an affair that will result in ‘Mitch’ shooting him.” I can’t stop laughing about that one. You know what makes me nervous, knowing that she is allowed in the general population. For added effect she stated “…but living next door does make RM’s stalking behavior convenient for him.” That promotes another irrepressible giggle. Correction: living next door makes targeting the innocent with evil insanity convenient for her. In another part of her confused ramble to the court, Pavis erroneously presented that I am deeply suspicious of women but here pretends that I could be attracted to her. What, I make an exception for the quite unappealing next door neighbor lady? In dinner conversation with the neighbors I mentioned a tentative date arrangement with a local woman. Pavis blurted “Rob has a date” in a childish sing-song way. What in the hell was that? Why didn’t I run? But they succeeded in getting attention of the court with crazy talk. Wait until you read of their demented ‘bird killer’ fixation that reads like a poorly conceived horror story written by grade-schoolers. Carl Sagan said “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” All Mange and Pavis exhibited was extraordinary cunning that proved beyond belief my earlier assessment to stay away from them for each in their own sketchy way were trouble.

 

Psychobabble

Lack of hard evidence did not discourage their cruel, doubtful charade. What did they hope to gain? Mange and Pavis apparently believe just saying something makes it so. But no matter how earnest or fevered is testimony, that in itself does not make it true, reasonable or rational. In shameless, evil testimony (largely from Pavis’ poison pen) they expressed I was aggressive and threatening, aggressive and harassing, was stalking them, exhibited mental instability, was paranoid, delusional, showed signs and symptoms of a sociopath, lived an altered reality, hostile, paranoid and delusional, delusional and aggressive, narcissistic and aggressive, out of touch with reality, potentially dangerous, obsessed with them, fabricated evidence and more illusions; quite a list. Most of their comments were non-specific and when tested in court, there were no specific actions or behaviors on which to justify their mean assessments of me. Further, they included statements with no logical bearing on their case; an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach; a blizzard of garbage to mystify the court. For example, they stated I hate my ex-wife. Untrue; I have never said this to anyone. What good would hate do anyway? They announced I was “…down on everybody and everything…” Nope; just bullies, lairs, mean people and of late, crazy people too. They depicted my relocation to Colorado one of desperation after basically being chased out of town by angry neighbors where I had lived. Inanities crafted by people unable to separate fact from fiction or know right from wrong. Their pathetic, baseless, overboard accusations and spurious assertions just went on and on and on.

Pavis the psychologist in particular worked ruthlessly to paint a picture of a crazy, dangerous man – where no such evidence existed. I hold that the way they peppered their misrepresentations to the court with inflammatory psychological terms was her doing; one cheap shot after another. If so, she exploited professional credibility and violated ethics and code of conduct; evidence of her unscrupulous nature. To further stack the deck, Pavis misdirected to pretend I used psychological tactics (such as?) to paint them negatively (as they did of me?) in her feeble attempt to deflect attention from their unbecoming actions.

Pavis maintained she was afraid of me – which seemed to revolve around her insistence I was stalking them, and for her loony bird killing accusations. She mindlessly declared that I did something to escalate things “every two weeks;” that “aggressive behavior could escalate,” and I had “mental instability.” She was afraid when I might “drop the next bomb;” that I did “…things in attempt to goad (her) into confrontation;” was afraid to “…set limits for him for fear of retribution…” and more sickening nonsense. You mean boundaries like asking you two not to bother me (which you ignored)? She revealed they were in a “fearful/intimidating situation” with me. Based on what? More proof of her peculiar tangent. My accusers failed to submit evidence that confirmed any of their allegations. Yet Judge Fay basically called me a liar. Go figure.

 

Tipping Point

There was my introduction to Mange then their late February 2023 visit to my house, and mine to theirs on 26 April for a cordial dinner. Mange went on and on about his professional accomplishments and again mentioned having been to Tibet – which had been his ice-breaker the day we met. I did things in the 70’s too but generally don’t really make that a topic of conversation. During our meal, Pavis mostly listened and observed. At one point she interjected that she had no use for stupid people –a remark that she apparently felt added to my conversation with Mange. Other than these visits, I had but few passing conversations with Mange totaling minutes and did not speak with Pavis except for the time she came over unannounced, and once in passing inquiring about their dinner invitation when I saw her outside – until the fake bird confrontation occurred in early July – which wasn’t even a conversation; just Pavis barking at me. If I was such a dangerous stalker and downer supposedly making all the remarks they pretended, why would they ever continue to associate with me and then go on as they did in detailed written testimony about our tentative subsequent sushi dinner plans at my house that never then occurred? Such illogical, inconsistent nonsense symptomatic of their methods but apparently swallowed whole-cloth by the judge. I think perhaps they decided to be vicious because their feelings had been hurt.  By early May after Mange’s second gun reference, I reassessed; decided firmly to limit interaction to just passing neighbor waves or brief small talk if otherwise unavoidable; there would be no follow-up dinner. I had far better things to do with my time. None of it added-up. I made my wishes clear by text in early June; leave me alone.

 

Bird Brains

Mange and Pavis made birds major to their complaint. Birds you wonder? You’ll see. They asked what the black and white birds were they had seen. Magpies, I told them; adding be careful as they are considered pest birds; drive-away other birds, rob bird nests, steal food, get into your outdoor garbage can, and so on. I understood they left bird and hummingbird feeders out 24/7 – this contrary to local guidelines because that can attract bears. So they were in effect operating the local ‘magpie central’ feeding station attracting these noisy, aggressive, opportunistic birds.

By heat of summer in 2023 magpies would largely disappear yet the cacophony of a few of them squawking in the short-term was annoying so I purchased a fake plastic dead crow designed to effectively scare-off smart birds like crows and magpies. I also had an air rifle that could be used to make a loud noise to scare them too should they enter my property. Both tactics are proven to drive-off magpies. I had absolutely no intention of hurting any birds. The life-size plastic bird I ordered on-line arrived. I placed it flat on a low rock in my backyard about 20 feet from our property line. Curiously, a plastic bird replica made to drive-away pest birds can actually attract a different kind of pest – dim-witted neighbors.

The next morning (2 July) as I ate breakfast two noisy magpies flit around in a pine tree opposite my dining room glass door – the only ones in my backyard, and nowhere near the fake plastic bird. I slipped out ready to fire the air rifle into the air to scare them when I spotted Mange and Pavis at the property line some 60 feet away peering into my yard and focused on the plastic bird. They had to walk up-slope to get there, or as Mange reported to the court, they “sort of walked,” and then what, crawled? The neighbor’s backyard is around 4 feet or so below mine so to see the fake bird basically at ground level would require some snooping. Plastic bird goes in the backyard one afternoon and by the next morning two nosy neighbors invade my privacy. As they stood there looking into my backyard, I heard Pavis urge her husband to “Do something.” About what? Seeing me, Pavis shouted as she pointed at the plastic dummy bird “Did you kill that bird?” She appeared agitated and distraught. I propped the air rifle against the house, and although being impertinently accosted in my own backyard, calmly walked (as is my nature) over to the imitation bird and no farther, picked it up to demonstrate it was manufactured, not real. I explained where I bought it and why; made in China and designed to scare birds. I understood the humor in their error even if they failed to acknowledge that. Mange stood silent. Pavis said “I think I’m going to go into the house and cry.” Cry about what? Hadn’t she been paying attention? You would think when caught in mistaken impression, she would at least apologize for her error or maybe chuckle over it. Instead she turned and walked down slope to their house – all the while her husband stood there. How puzzling. As I walked to my house with ‘Ralph’ the plastic crow, frustrated with their oblivion and disappointed by their unwarranted intrusion, muttered under my breath “f-ing morons” loud enough for Mr. Silent to hear. That’s just what happened. My comment in the face of their clueless intrusion was unlike me, though. After, I texted to say leave me alone (yet again) lest things get worse, to mind their own business, and wondered rhetorically what the ‘go cry’ thing was about.

I already considered Pavis nosy; when at their house for our only dinner, she stated “I see that you put up a Buddha statue.” Less than 2 feet tall, it was on the ground in my backyard over 60 feet from the property line up-slope from their yard. What was I going to say in response, yea for you Sherlock? Not your concern. Pavis also remarked that they had seen me install my patio and suggested that they would invite themselves to “…come over and use it” sometime. Oh really? How about no. Might seem harmless comments by Pavis but I detest prying and useless prattle. I deeply prize privacy and respect that of others.

 

Hocus Pocus

By the time Mange and Pavis decided to harm me by filing for protection orders using baseless, unjustified propaganda, they invented plenty of falsehoods to pretend a completely different encounter. And so the plot sickens. I suppose to explain why they had seen the plastic bird in my yard, they made up a bird-brained story to cover (probably Pavis’) quick work of spotting it. In their fantasy narrative they were comfortably at home when startled by a massive swarm of 30-50 magpies making a “…bird commotion…” so went outside to investigate. They reported all those birds were in my small backyard (that would be a tight fit) frantically pecking the ground around the fake bird – which they insinuated was the object or source of (imaginary) bait. Oh, it gets worse. They stated I charged wildly at them arms swinging, issuing a string of expletives. Yet another self-serving fiction spawned by diseased minds. The prior month I had texted them basically asking to be left alone. Obviously that didn’t work because they then invaded my privacy with their improbable assumption of bird killing. My text noted they had not seen me for a while because of a hip problem. I had been experiencing severe pain and was later diagnosed with joint inflammation and bone damage (ultimately resulting in total hip replacement). I was in no condition to ‘charge’ (i.e.: run) at them in any case. It was just more of their juvenile lies. Mange and Pavis tried and failed to use that text and one sent just after their plastic bird intrusion to confirm stalking – because they had nothing else. I admitted calling them f-ing morons; certainly not geniuses. Pavis indignantly complained to court I was out-of-line for suggesting they had spied on me. What else would you call it? These, the people falsely claiming I was stalking them! How ridiculous. Following the plastic bird incident, undeterred by lack of any indication of bird killing, Pavis went on to make-up her own insane accounts.

 

Leave Me Alone

After their fake dead bird confrontation, I had finally had it with these people. If they had only complied with my wish to be left alone, I would have happily forgotten all about them. But now things were to become complicated and also costly. Due to the incident, I obtained a permit to build a fence to shield myself from their prying eyes, texted them once again asking that they leave me alone, and importantly, filed what is called a ‘Voluntary Statement’ with the sheriff’s office to document reasonable concerns – Mange’s gun comments and their invasion of my privacy; enough was enough. The sheriff neglected to tell me they were obligated to investigate my statement. Archuleta County Deputy Jermal Ball came to my house and interviewed me. Regarding my neighbors, he agreed I had a right to privacy, and told me that I should feel safe on my own property. He asked me if I wanted him to speak to them. I was torn; I did not want to provoke them but wondered what they might do next. Days passed; I e-mailed the deputy stating yes, please visit them and explain they can’t do as they have (invade my privacy). My hope was his authority (as I told him) would cause them to reconsider their actions. After close to two weeks his schedule allowed time to pay them a visit. He actually told them he did not know why he was there. Really?  Nice going, genius. His incompetence just fanned the flames of unstable people already on edge. He later complained to me that they were misusing or misstating his comments to make their case to the court. But rather than de-escalate people he stupidly helped work into a lather, he then apparently all but told them to go ahead and obtain TPO’s (temporary protection orders). His ham-fisted approach basically set me up for far greater abuse. He did tell me that they agreed we should keep to ourselves. But instead they set in motion what would put us all in a courtroom. Mange and Pavis denied everything, and maintained I was the problem; dangerous. Pavis complained the visit “…felt like an intimidation and humiliation tactic;” that I specifically directed the deputy to contact them on a Sunday afternoon. Pavis complained involvement of law enforcement could have a negative impact on her ability to work as a psychologist in Colorado. Oh, the poor unsuspecting public! She certainly should have thought that through before making her crazy announcements. Such arrogance. Interestingly, that Sunday evening I heard what sounded like an enraged Pavis shouting loudly (through my closed windows). Unaware if the deputy had yet seen them, I e-mailed him, and he said yes he had. Undoubtedly, she had been throwing a fit the result of his visit. The next day they filed petitions for protection orders, and I was served the day after by two stern, gun-toting deputies. Can you say vindictive retaliation?

 

You Can’t Be Serious

Pavis’ and Mange’s separate protection order petitions read like the insane ramblings that they were; unbridled madness in print. My hands trembled and heart raced as I read page-after-page, between tears, jarring words that recoiled against all sensibility. I was at a loss to reckon the reason for their sickening, horrid, evil lies.

In demented, ingenuine testimony (plausibly the product of hallucinations), Pavis sickeningly accused me of luring, shooting and killing birds. She provided court with a litany of dastardly ‘bird killer’ assertions; testified that the plastic bird was “a symbol of his violence…the decoy bird he uses to bait the birds into his yard;” falsely stated that I killed birds then texted her “I find it very intimidating that after discovering how much I love birds and was feeding them every morning, he killed them and then sent a text saying “I warned you’;” declared that I sent her a taunting text about birds stating “…it was (her) fault that (I) killed them;” alleged I was killing birds “simply because (she) enjoyed them;” malevolently purported I was killing birds “… I witnessed him shooting them with an air rifle,” “…I witnessed with my own eyes RM luring and killing birds…,” “…when RM noticed our bird feeder, he lured birds into his backyard with bait and shot them dead.” – vivid, repugnant descriptions (there were even more) but nonetheless all horrific fiction perhaps indicative of profoundly psychotic delusions. There was no bird killing, there were no ‘bird killer’ texts. The ‘dead’ bird was plastic; fake. I never once fired that air rifle. What ever had I done to warrant this crazed hostility? Why stop at birds; why not go on to accuse me of holding a Bigfoot family hostage in the basement? They strike me now especially as the sort of whack-jobs who would buy-into (and/or promote) the Hattian-immigrants-eating-family-pets lie.

Mange and Pavis identified themselves as amateur birders. Hum; magpies were unknown to them. They apparently did not understand bird fledging process. Heads-up: just hanging bird feeders does not make you birders. So what’s the category below amateur? Maybe a more accurate label would be amateur human beings; perhaps the human equivalent of magpies. Look, buy an Audubon bird book and educate yourselves. Most of all leave others out of your polluted, emotional drama.

The depth of Pavis’ bold, misleading, hurtful deception is simply astonishing; part of an endless insanity rant the result of hysterical lunacy to inflame the court in support of their fraudulent protection order petitions. It was heart-wrenching to read her sick fabrications – especially about killing; I cried because their wicked misrepresentations were as far one could get from who I actually am. In initial testimony, Pavis theatrically stopped to catch her breath amidst edgy, dramatic presentation to Judge Fay. I have to catch my breath too – as I struggle to comprehend the full nature of this appalling madness.

 

Sanity Mirage

Both neighbors worked emphatically to lead the court astray by pretending when there was no suitable fact. They all but suggested one day the sky was full of birds and suddenly the next (day after the plastic bird incident) skies were near silent; they said they were “heartbroken” and “filled with angst;” “…convinced that (I was) poisoning birds“ as a way to explain their misperceived departure of magpies. It was summer and birds eventually disperse, don’t you know? Apparently not. Birds fledge and literally leave the nest.  Especially here at high altitude, they move to cooler canyons and water in the heat of summer. What manner of deranged thinking process was at work to get to where they did; to gamble and testify about things that never happened – with not an iota of proof – just to create a grandiose fictional grievance? Besides their being absolutely bat crazy, I’d suggest filled with gall is a more accurate description. It’s clear my accusers used lies for attempted benefit and did so pathologically for the ease in which they lied so horribly and easily. You would hope that a normal person would perceive their absurd, unsupported notions not only as lies but indicative of mental illness – for thinking and saying them and doing so with such emotional attachment; scary people who convinced themselves of nonsense. But court may not have been up to the task.

By the time we met in court, their atrocious allegations of luring, baiting and shooting birds became well, guess not, no proof. What, the ground wasn’t littered with dead birds? You’d think Ms. Snoop would have documented at least some bird carnage mayhem but technology hasn’t advanced enough to record video of a figment produced by a confused mind. Their “We’re convinced that he is poisoning birds” was another illustration of their (meaning probably her) daft reasoning. Here too, and as with the rest of their flimsy, untrustworthy cases, they offered no supporting evidence; because there was none; never happened.

Mange and Pavis’ disgraceful, extravagant accusations were endlessly frivolous, groundless, and vexatious. Their seamy, bogus allegations imply unsavory capacity to go down a dangerous dark path of impulsive, fevered fear-mongering. The ease in which they turned pure fiction and vague supposition into purported fact to malign and persecute me was reminiscent of the infamous Salem witch trials hysteria – the result of self-induced agitation fueled by people possessed; of weak will, easily swayed, of questionable morality, and with disgustingly eager affinity for mob tactics; actions of those at least temporarily transfixed by evil if at all with chance of redemption.

 

More Puzzle Pieces

Pavis also complained they were so afraid of me they considered moving. Oh please do. No matter what, get help! They must be miserable; can’t possibly be happy. They surely must be aware of the crippling, indulgent conditions they manifest; lying to themselves and others to desperately conceal their derangement. What are they hiding and why? It’s anyone’s guess. This went far beyond a typical neighbor dust-up; it was made into adversarial, sadistic madness by people debased; consumed by spite and malice.

Criticism of their outlandish landscape treatment (covering all of their yards with a sea of bright pine wood chips) became another of their stray idiotic complaints. Whether or not I like their landscape should be of no interest to a court, but they opened the door so here goes. Mange had indicated grass was too much work. The result was a dull yard perhaps unintentionally reflective of its creators. In retrospect, pointedly sharing my opinion (as someone with over 30 years in the landscape industry) was an insult although what they did probably decreased my property value; looks like a stark Mohave Desert trailer park lot next door; dead. Typical of other aspects of their complaint, reaction was excessive. Mange identified my educated observations as “vitriolic,” “bizarre and irrational,” and suggestive of “altered reality.” Hyper-sensitive, are we? When you live in a natural environment, landscape should be in harmony instead of one that stands-out as grossly misplaced. Their barren yard is virtually devoid of refuge, browse or habitat for animals here. In defence, Pavis said they enjoy the smell of wood chips; right, you and termites. What a way to depress curb appeal of a half-million-dollar property. In their thoughtless crime against nature, they extended their ‘scorched earth’ treatment to the county road easement along the front of their property – encroaching at least ten feet onto it to do the same there; depriving that land of grasses and vegetation. Originally, I wondered how two adults could convince themselves to basically ruin a yard; now I get it.

Here’s another tidbit. Working in my front yard one day in early April 2023, Pavis wandered over and asked if she could visit. It was an intrusion but I was kind. It was our only one-on-one conversation. We sat on the bench in front of my house. She told me how she worked for years as a construction laborer, and then became a psychologist. She invited me to dinner with them. The only stand-out was a curious, unsolicited comment she made, and to which I had no reply. She told me “When I met ‘Mitch’ (her much older husband), I was unimpressed; I didn’t really even like him.” Why tell me that? I though it possibly signaled relationship discord; regardless, not interested lady. She did not mention how they met but I imagine that she found then enticed someone she could manipulate. For her sins, she’s stuck with him (and he with her). She of course denied her compromising mention of Mange, and tried to convince the court I had romantic feelings for her. Yeah right, a plain, middle-aged, married old biddy neighbor with all that baggage? Talk about fantasy.

Oh, how I so regret ever introducing myself to Mange that snowy winter day. This nightmare episode underscores the innate caution I have about people – stemming from being bullied mercilessly as a kid for being smarter that most (and awkward to boot) to more recent times – so I tend to keep to myself. I had to force myself out of a comfort zone to even say hello to new neighbors – and look where that got me. But don’t misread this admission; I am capable of proper integrity in social interactions – apparently far better than my maladjusted neighbors.

 

Disorder Alert

It was perplexing why anyone would concoct such overwrought, exaggerated, make-believe assertions, play the victim so theatrically, and attack me as some sort of bogeyman – all coupled with what looked like irrational fears and paranoia, pronounced anxiety, hysteria, and a tenuous grasp on reality. Through chance I discovered a plausible explanation for Pavis’ unusually adamant narrative about birds, stalking, a non-existent spy camera and the rest – it’s called Delusional Disorder. Yes, it‘s a real thing. Not a mental health professional like her, I make only an educated guess. While actions of both accusers imply fragile and damaged psyches, emotional immaturity, and great need of moral recalibration, Pavis is the stand-out as an unhealthy, deeply troubled instigator.
Delusional Disorder is described in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) – a reference book on mental health conditions published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). SEE: DSM-5, 297.1 (F22), Delusional Disorder. According to the APA, the disorder is characterized as presence of one or more delusions for a month or longer in a person who, except for the delusions and their behavioral ramifications, does not appear odd and is not functionally impaired. Here are some of their descriptions of this disorder:

“A delusion is a belief that is held with strong conviction despite evidence disproving it that is stronger than any evidence supporting it.” “The psychiatrist and philosopher Karl Jaspers proposed 3 criteria for delusional beliefs in 1913: certainty (the belief is held with absolute conviction), incorrigibility (the belief cannot be changed with any proof to the contrary) and impossibility or falsity (the belief cannot be true) (Jaspers, 1967). Delusions are associated with a variety of mental and neurological disorders, but are of diagnostic importance in the psychotic disorders.”

“… non-bizarre delusions are possible but unlikely, such as being under surveillance.” “Persecutory delusions involve conspiracy against or mistreatment of the patient.”

“…The patient expresses the delusional belief(s) with unusual force and persistence, and the belief or beliefs exert and inordinate effect on the patient’s life, often altering or dominating it. Despite profound conviction about the delusion, the patient is often secretive or suspicious in discussing it. Delusional patients tend to be oversensitive and humorless, especially regarding the delusion. The belief is central to the patient’s existence, and questioning it elicits an inappropriately strong emotional reaction. The belief is nevertheless unlikely…” “The patient is highly invested emotionally in the belief, and other elements of the psyche may be overwhelmed.”

“Delusional disorder is…chronic and may be lifelong…” “Abnormal behavior, if it occurs, is specifically related to the delusional belief. The patient has a heightened sense of self-reference, and trivial or nonspecific events assume great importance through connection to the delusional belief…” “Delusional disorder is infrequent in psychiatric practice, possibly because many patients are able to function tolerably well despite their delusions, and perhaps also because those who believe implicitly in their delusions may not feel the need for treatment and may resist the suggestions of others that they seek psychiatric attention.”

Information on Delusional Disorder from WebMD.com:

“Delusions are the main symptom of delusional disorder. They’re unshakable beliefs in something that isn’t true or based on reality.” “Delusional disorder involves delusions that aren’t bizarre, having to do with situations that could happen in real life, like being followed, poisoned, deceived, conspired against, or loved from a distance.” “But in reality, the situations are either not true at all or highly exaggerated.” “…in some cases, people with delusional disorder might become so preoccupied with their delusions that their lives are disrupted.” “Delusional disorder most often happens in middle to late life and is slightly more common in women than in men.”

“Someone who has this believes they (or someone close to them) are being mistreated, or that someone is spying on them or planning to harm them. They might make repeated complaints to legal authorities.” “People with delusional disorder might become depressed, often as the result of difficulties associated with the delusions.” “Also, people with this disorder can become alienated from others, especially if their delusions interfere with or damage their relationships.”

This educational information may explain aspects of Pavis’ persona. If I am right, then it is irresponsible and inexcusable of her to allow mental illness or untamed psychosis to manifest and contaminate lives of the innocent. Regardless, it appears as though she indulgently creates dramatic agitation, and lacks suitable emotional discipline. Mange may not be far behind on all counts.