The dome had been pulled into the air half a mile by the tornado, then allowed to plunge to the ground. Being a dome, however, the structure behaved like a giant parachute and drifted softly to rest on top of Cooter McBean.
Hudsupple, of course, tried to retrieve his property, hiring Lawyer McSwine to pursue his case in Varmint County Circuit Court. Judge Hard Time Harwell ruled Cooter unable to afford an attorney and assigned retired County Judge Colonel Hugh Ray Jass to represent him in the jury trial.
"Mr. Hudsupple, do you deny that your home fell on top of Cooter McBean's house, destroying it and nearly killing Mr. McBean?"
"No, but nearly killing him is a stretch. He didn't have a scratch on him."
"But all of his worldly possessions were destroyed, and he could have been killed."
"His worldly possessions aren't worth the cost of my suit, and he wasn't killed."
"No matter, you were negligent in allowing your dome house to be lifted by that tornado and dropped on Mister McBean. Punitive damages are justified."
"How can he be negligent? That tornado wasn't my client's fault," Lawyer McSwine objected.
"If he had built a standard building instead of a dome, it would have disintegrated instead of sailing off into the air and landing intact ten miles away on my client," Colonel Hugh Jass insisted.
"If he had built a standard building, the tornado would have killed him!" McSwine objected again.
"Precisely. Your client's good fortune was my client's near tragedy. I rest my case."
The two lawyers, Otis Hudsupple, Cooter and Judge Harwell met in the Judge's chambers while the jury deliberated their verdict.
"I think the jury is going to award Cooter a sizable sum," Colonel Hugh predicted.
"My client will appeal. We should not have to pay a cent."
"But you will. Your client's house fell on another man's head. It doesn't matter that he wasn't injured. I'll find psychiatrists to testify that now Cooter is afraid to go outside unless he's wearing a helmet."
"He's always been afraid to go outside without a helmet. Thinks the Viet Cong are laying for him."
"Prove it."
"What do you want?" Otis Hudsupple finally asked.
"We'll settle for the dome. Your insurance will pay you off and it will cost you more to move that thing back up on the mountain than it's worth. Mr. McBean doesn't want your money, just a roof over his head."
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