A story that ended ten years ago:
Many years ago, we and a sorority sister finished our lunch at Trowbridge's and turned north to visit a new antique store on Court Walk. A man turned the corner heading south and spotted us. He immediately blocked our way and spoke, calling our friend by name. We could tell our friend was none too delighted to see the man, whom she didn't introduce. She began to edge around him.
From the other direction, a woman appeared, and the man whom we'll call "Tony Smith" introduced her as his wife. He then asked our friend her name, even though he had personally addressed her more than once in our short conversation. This presented us with an opportunity to escape, much to the relief of my friend. She explained that she knew the man slightly and that over the years since school he had become more and more bizarre, always steering the conversation to sexual subjects.
Over the next few years, we would hear Tony's name mentioned from time to time. His wife eventually left him and his children didn't speak to him. He couldn't hold a job because of complaints from women. His parents died, and siblings soon sought psychiatric treatment for him. Tony was diagnosed with a kind of schizophrenia and was on psych meds, but his condition only worsened as he aged. Finally a brother had him placed in a nursing home where he eventually died amid rumors a highly offended nurse may have hastened his demise with some extra tranquilization.
Some citizens are super productive; others are drains on society. Tony Smith was a drain on society whom you helped pay for. While there were rumors over the years that Tony had assaulted various women, as far as we know, he was never charged with these assaults and no woman ever came forward to declare she was anything more than highly morally offended.
The same can't be said for a similar drain on society...Thomas Grant Campbell.
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