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- 02/05/2022
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Timothy - 94. Chapter 94
Following Dad into the house, Mom came to greet Dad until she saw me. Then I got my hug and a kiss on my cheek. “Where’s Stephen?”
“We stopped at the farm, and I left him with Randy, who will drive him over when they are through doing whatever they are doing. Where are the papers? I want to read the comments to Rich’s article?”
“They are in the living room on the table.”
I grabbed the papers and sat on the sofa, preparing to read the comments. Mom brought me a cup of coffee. I read Rich’s article, I picked up the following day’s edition, turning to the comment section. I quickly scanned the page, and there were several comments expressing condolences to Bruce’s family and wife. Those I scanned quickly since those I would have expected.
One comment was obviously written by one of his victims. ‘Dam, that man, he should roast in hell. He couldn’t face those whom he had hurt, those whom he had destroyed. He has taken away our justice for what he has done. I’ll spit on him and his grave.” Whoever wrote this identified themselves as AS.
The next one was similar in tone. ‘Leave it to the weakling to deny us our day in court. He caused me to have an abortion at the age of 14, and he ruined my life. I will carry the guilt of killing a child because of him. May he burn in Hell.”
I stopped reading the comments and called Rich.
“Rich, this is Tim. I just read some of the comments to your article; I was surprised at the venom in some of those comments.”
“Those that were printed were the least vindictive. Some people want to burn an effigy of him in the ball-field.”
“Do you know where they are going to bury him?”
“No, I haven’t heard if there is going to be internment here. They may have him cremated.”
“If they do decide for cremation, they better not let anyone know where they will deposit his ashes. By reading these comments, I’m sure there will be a riot. “
“If they bring him back for burial, he’ll end up being burned. From the tone of the comments not printed, they will dig up the grave and burn the casket with his body in it.”
“A lot of the hatred is Bruce’s fault, but if those people had spoken up at that time, none of this would have happened. They could’ve nipped it in the bud. You can do something to ensure that an individual does not walk Bruce’s path. Write an article stating that this hatred toward Bruce could have been stopped if those people he wronged had spoken out at the time. By not speaking out, they became a part of all that Bruce did and must also share in Bruce’s guilt.”
“That will cause a riot.”
“It might, but it just might stop someone from following in Bruce’s footsteps. By ignoring what Bruce did, it was like approving what he did. We may have saved a Bruce clone if we could make Bruce’s crime a lesson for the people. Think about it.”
“I’ll let you know what I decide.”
“Send me a preview if you decide to write a response to those comments.”
When I heard Randy’s car pull into the driveway, I told Rich I’d call him when I got home, as I was at my Mom and Dad’s place.
Randy was the first in the house, and I got a hug. Stephen followed, but I didn’t get a hug.
“What is this, Randy hugs me, and you don’t? You realize you will pay for that latter.”
“Here,” I got a kiss.
“Did you finish whatever you were working on?”
“Yes, his system is updated, and he can converse with us online. Did you read the paper?”
“Yes, read the comment section and let me know what you think.”
“What is it about this guy, Bruce Stevens? I heard he was a fantastic basketball player.”
“According to the records, he was, but he used his popularity to take advantage of the girls in high school. Popularity can go both ways, one way is to set an example, and the other is to take advantage by using people. He took the latter.”
“All you hear is how a great player he was.”
“That may change after people read the paper. Are you staying for dinner?”
“What are you having?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask?”
“I’m going home. I have some veggies for you.”
I went with him to put the basket of vegetables in my car. “What’s my mom having for dinner?”
“Pork chops, but she only had four cooking.”
“Here are 10 dollars for the vegetables, and here are 10 dollars for your pizza.” Yep, I got a hug.
“Are you going to stop before you go home?”
“Yes, we’ll see you tomorrow.”
We walked into the house, he said goodbye to everyone, and I saw him eating a piece of pie as he left. Dinner was pork chops.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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