When I was younger, I had an overly simplistic view of the of the world. People were either bad or good. Their actions? Right or wrong. But, as you go through life, and manage to amass any bit of personal growth, you realize things are usually a whole lot more complicated.

And, sometimes, not all that easy to resolve.

Take last Sunday night.

I didn't know what I had come home to, well, because I couldn't see beyond my nose. Literally. The sun was at a perfect angle on the horizon, making it impossible for me to see into the glare and down the block. I now realize the universe had graciously protected me once again.

The only thing I knew for sure was in the time it took me to pull up to the curb, cross the street, open the gate and walk back to my car, my neighbor had peeled rubber out of her driveway and was speeding down the street.

Later, the police showed up next door, with the animal control unit. But the details? Still a mystery until Tuesday night, when a tv news crew arrived on my street, to broadcast, live at five, what went down next door.

Parental warning. Pretty disturbing stuff:

Until that point, my opinion of the accused was straight forward. He's a hard working, friendly guy, who came out early for the neighborhood clean-up last spring, even after working the night shift. He's the type of guy who stops his car to make sure the drunk dude passed out on the sidewalk is okay. He loves astronomy, sharing glimpses of the night sky from his sidewalk telescope, with anyone who wanted a look, until you were excited too.

That guy, the one I've known for nearly four years, wouldn't have killed a puppy.

But on Sunday, someone who I clearly never met, was accused of doing just that.

And I'm left, very unsettled, trying, in vain, to make sense of it all.