They Thought No One Could Touch Them
They thought they could get away with it. They had the whole system on their side; they had the power, the money, and the connections. They believed no one could stop them.
So they thought they didn't have a reason to be afraid of what the common folk might do. But they were wrong. This farmer had spent years and years working on his revenge plan. And now, he was finally ready to get some payback.
Chemical Waste
This one chemical firm dumped all sorts of toxic waste on some humble farmers' lands. And even though their actions had heinous consequences, they didn't give a damn.
But among those who suffered the effects of their misdeeds was a farmer named Eric Wilson. He didn't have a fancy and expensive education or the power and influence to confront the firm. Still, he had the drive and the wit to come up with a plan that would make them regret what they did.
Eric Wilson
Eric Wilson, aged 67, has been living in Elberta, Alabama, for his whole life. He's a farmer there, just like most of his neighbors.
Elberta is famous for its agriculture; like in many other parts of Alabama, a big chunk of its population earns a living out of growing corn, soybeans, and wheat. This kind of life has its perks, no doubt; but it's not always easy.
Not An Easy Life
Farming labor usually involves a great deal of physical work and long shifts. It’s not unusual for farmers in Elberta to work from the break of dawn until the sun goes down.
Eric Wilson, despite his advanced age, was still able to maintain the work just as hard as any young man. The farming life was all he knew, and it was the only way he had to make a living. He wasn't willing to let anyone or anything jeopardize it.
A Life Of Work
Wilson had only gone to school for three measly years when he was just a kid. This wasn't unusual for people in his area or during the time when he was raised.
Back then, the priority for every young boy was to start earning money to help out their families. And after all, local agriculture provided everyone with a good way to make a decent living. But as years went by, things took a turn.
Industries
Several industries started flourishing around Elberta. At first, this didn't seem to be a problem; after all, the region's economy was thriving, and people could easily get jobs, which was a good thing.
But soon enough, it became evident that these industries were releasing some pollution that would jeopardize the region's main industry: farming.
Wilson Didn’t Like It
Wilson was no stranger to this, and he suspected that, sooner or later, it might become a problem for his livelihood. He would soon see that he was right all along.
One day, some trucks from a big chemical firm made their appearance near the fields where Wilson worked. Wilson stared at them from a distance; they just stood there for about an hour and then left. He wondered what they were up to.
He Went To See What Was Up
When they were gone, he decided to come close to where the trucks had stopped and see what was going on. He had a bad feeling about it: he feared the worse.
And when he got there, he saw it. He couldn't contain a gasp: it was worse than anything he could have ever imagined.
Toxic Waste All Over
Acres and acres of the fields were covered with toxic waste! This would ruin their harvest not only for the time being but also for years to come!
Wilson was outraged. That couldn't be legal. But what could he even do about it? He didn't have the money to hire a lawyer and sue the company. But he had other plans.
Lawsuit
He went to the authorities, but they told him that he would need to build a case against the company. He would have to gather evidence of the firm's actions and then bring a lawsuit.
Considering Wilson's limited resources, this seemed like a battle of David versus Goliath. But he had a trick up his sleeve. He wasn't willing to let the big firm get away with it.
Six Years Of Study
For the next six years, Wilson spent all his spare time preparing the lawsuit all by himself. It was a battle he had to fight and win. He just had to do it; for his village, for his neighbors, and for his own dignity.
And even though he couldn't hire a lawyer and didn't have more than three years of school education, he found a way to face the firm and make them pay for what they did.
Wandering Around Bookstores
Wilson spent years wandering around every library and bookstore in town and going through every legal volume he could get his hands on.
He couldn't even afford to buy them. He just brought a notebook and a pen with him and wrote down everything he thought could be useful. This was a difficult task, but something else made it even more complicated.
It Was Hard For Him
Wilson had to carry a dictionary with him and look up the words he read in the legal volumes. He didn’t understand many of them; so he basically had to give himself an education in law!
One can only imagine how titanic of a task it was for this farmer who dropped out of school after just 3 years.
6 Years Later
After 6 years, Wilson finally managed to complete and present the lawsuit. And after that, it took the courts 8 years more to process it and get the trial started.
Little is known about why this happened, but it seems to be related to the big firm's connections to the political and judicial powers. But eventually, Wilson got a court's decision about his case.
Court’s Decision
Finally, the court ruled that the chemical firm would have to pay almost more than $800,000 to Wilson and his neighbors in compensation for the damage done to their farms!
It seemed like Wilson had won a battle that seemed impossible. But shortly after the court's decision, the chemical firm appealed. Wilson’s battle had just begun.