“By Two and Two”-Jim Schutze
An innocent reader delves into this tale and is shocked, shocked I tell you. For true crime writer Schutze pens the tale of Betty Wilson and her twin, Peggy Lowe in quite a different manner than the more normal writer of this genre.
I’d read almost a third of the book before I realized that Betty Wilson’s husband, Dr. Jack Wilson, was about to be murdered and after the pre-murder narrative provided by the author I was totally surprised that his wife Betty was about to be charged and jailed for the crime.
Most true crime books give a less personal preview of events to come, describing the setting and backgrounds of the perpetrator before detailing the minutiae of the horrible event. This author, and I didn’t realize this until after the entire book was read, believes Betty Wilson and her twin to have been innocent and with no apology pens his novel to lead the reader to this conclusion as well.
Such a method of presenting a true crime left me un-nerved. The entire tale of the twins’ acquaintance with James White, a no-account poor-white-trash con-man and drifter, is presented as I presume Betty Wilson and the author would have the reader believe.
And believable it is, make no mistake. This reader was casually reading along, believing all as read and wondering when the murder or crime would happen, who would be the victim, and who would be the perpetrator.
By the time the murder occurred I could not believe that Betty Wilson and Peggy Lowe would in any circumstance align themselves in a conspiracy with the likes of James White when Ms. Wilson could easily have hired a more experienced and discrete hit man than this n’er do well. As for Peggy Lowe, Betty’s fraternal and “good” twin, it was and still is, totally impossible for me to believe she would have ever been a part of this scheme.
Which leaves me mighty uncomfortable as I am left now to believe that Betty Wilson was railroaded and jailed for the murder of her husband when she might well be innocent. I don’t like to think prosecutors would have pursued this case with all the expense and time to put Ms. Wilson behind bars when it would have been quite simple to just put James White in the poky. The man had already admitted he did the crime albeit, according to White, with the aid and financial incentive provided by Betty Wilson.
Betty Wilson was not a nice person and to the writer’s credit, he does not pose her as one. She regularly cheated on her husband, was nasty to all in her surround and was disliked by most who knew her. This unpleasant personality does not make her a murderer, or so the author asserts.
While this is certainly true, I admit my eyes tend to glaze when I’m presented with a scenario that would have over-zealous prosecutors jailing innocent citizens. This is always the defense of the accused and it causes me often to dismiss the assertion. Especially in this particular case where they had the perpetrator in custody and admitting to having done the deed. To what end would the prosecutors give themselves so much grief by granting White a deal to implicate Betty Wilson? It would have been simpler to put White in jail and just throw away the key, no mind his protestations that Betty Wilson encouraged and paid for his murderous actions.
Those prosecutors had to believe that Ms. Wilson WAS involved in the horrendous murder of her husband to put themselves to so much trouble. And justice should, in practice anyway, be blind to the social standing and wealth of criminals. Yet Jim Schutze attempts to convince me that the prosecutors put themselves out on a limb by granting a plea-bargain to the nefarious James White and basing their entire case on his questionable testimony.
As of now, I’m in a limbo. A jury found the woman guilty. The prosecutors risked time, expense and credibility to try the case. These thoughts keep intruding on the prose as presented by Schutze. He makes a good case but this reader is still troubled by a jury and prosecutor all fooled by an “innocent” James White. If you buy the argument of the author, only he and the reader know the “real” truth.
I intend to search the library for another novel on this subject. For while Schutze did a fine job presenting his platform of innocence, he never dealt with the issues of just why all these people would want Betty Wilson put in jail for a crime she did not commit.
It was the first Easter of Kaitlyn's small life that had her comprehending an excitement and celebration around her. Now almost sixteen months old, Kaitlyn Mae has learned that her species tends to have big affairs that involve lots of people and strange objects.
So it was on her first birthday when she entered a room filled with brightly colored balloons, ate an entire cake just for her and opened gaily decorated gifts to her complete joy. Kaitlyn figured birthday things were a bit of okay.
Now she has met the Easter bunny and I wonder what goes through her new human head. Add to my wonder about Kaitlyn's thoughts I must note that this is a very circumspect baby. Whereas most babies I've met would see a big furry thing with floppy ears and their eyes open in wonder and childish expressions of glee immediately come from baby mouths. Kaitlyn, on the other hand, will sit and regard any new object in her environment with a studied concentration incongruous in such a young child.
It's not that she's a scaredy cat child. She sat in Santa's lap this past Christmas with no expression of fear. Yet no expression of unfettered joy was evident either. It was required that she think about a big fat man with a beard and why her parents thought it was so neat.
Kaitlyn must regard, ponder and consider the strangeness of the human world she entered not so long ago.
So it was with the Easter bunny. Kaitlyn simply did not know what to make of this. Although as with most children, her parents' enthusiasm and encouragement do make her accept that big people dressed in furry outfits is a fine thing. Said encouragement coming AFTER the baby ran to the safety of her stroller at first sighting. As the Easter bunny danced so did Kaitlyn. Sure she had her doubts but she held her arms high and bounced up and down, her version of The Dance, and enjoyed the sound of her parents' laughter and enthusiasm. As for that big white furry thing, well Mom and Dad were there so Kaitlyn figured it was okay.
Of course as her Grandmother I had to buy her that Easter bunny toy that sings, taps his feet and wiggles his ears by a touch on his paw. Naturally there was the Easter bonnet with matching white gloves. And an Easter outfit, goodness. Kaitlyn thought the gloves were all right but a hat is an object to be pulled immediately off of one's baby head because as Kaitlyn figures you can't see stuff sitting on your head. Her mother and I debated whether to staple it on her head or perhaps sew it right on.
The other highlight of my day with Kaitlyn was our visit to a local town's Easter fest. It was a simple affair, kiddie rides, an Easter bonnet contest and I'm not making this up, a "running of the pigs".
Kaitlyn went on her first amusement ride and I knew she would adore them. Her father is quite rowdy with her, tossing her up and around as if she were a bag of baby. As expected, Kaitlyn did like the ride, a children's airplane sort of affair. Mom and Kaitlyn got in a car and soon she was up and down and going round.
The child had her circumspect face on, considering this strange thing she was in and what was its purpose. We all waited on the ground, expecting expressions of baby zeal but no, Kaitlyn had to ponder it all.
Later she walked to the same ride two more times so we knew she liked it. Except during the LAST ride she actually FELL ASLEEP on the ride! Goodness gracious I have simply never seen a child fall asleep on a ride. This was not a sleepy ride at all. One time I was on a twilt-a-whirl with Kaitlyn's Mom and she passed out. That was an experience, the ride going round and round with me screaming for the attendant to stop the damn thing that my daughter just fainted. Then Melissa always had a penchant for passing out. Something, crossing fingers, that Kaitlyn does not do. Melissa fainted the first time when she was six months old and from then until she was five it was a regular occurrence.
Well Kaitlyn was tired but still...on an amusement ride she falls asleep?
American Idol Comments
The following comments from my first post on Blogcritics on American Idol, we find the following comments:
Comments: Good call on your top three. Very objective. It does look like Bo, Jessica, and Constantine.
But keep one thing in mind: As sad as it sounds, women are judged on looks, and the one thing against Jessica is that her face is quite ugly. Too bad though.
I also wouldn\'t discount Carrie Underwood. She carries appeal among the \"red\" states.
Good objectivity in dumping people like Nikko, Nadia, Anwar, and Vonzell. They don\'t stand a chance in this talent-packed season of AI.
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Patfish, this post has been syndicated at the Advance.net family of sites, including sites such as the Cleveland.com TV weblog.
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why not call this show 'mass media manipulation by simon cowell'....or the 'Every one agree with simon cowell show'...urgh! Why watch ...he's already picked Carrie Underhill!
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Nikko Smith a gangsta rapper? Are you smoking crack?
The guy sang "Georgia on my Mind" for Pete's sake! He lists "real" music as his favorite kind.
I think Nikko is the most underrated performer on the show. Open yourselves to NIKKO people--the man can sing.
By far the most OVERRATED contestant is Bo Bice. Now, before you blow a gasket, let me explain. I like the guy--I enjoy watching him once a week for 2 minutes. But it's a singing contest, and he's NOT the best singer. "Time in a Bottle"???? Get REAL! If I may use a Simonesque analogy, it's rather like a fat girl wearing a tube top and hot pants. Just because you like it, doesn't mean it's right for you.
I just can't imagine listening to a 90 minute CD of "Just Bo". No thanks.
My pick to win? I just don't know. Previously it was hands-down Nadia. But with her sub-par performance last week and then the cheap Mario comments, her sparkle has tarnished a bit for me. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt for another week or two though.
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Smoking In Delaware
Below an intelligence response to my rant about smoking, Delaware and Nanny Governors. Yon Ladies and Gems decide for yourselves.
My Rant on Smoking in Delaware
Intelligent rebuttal:
Pat - I think you're right about the taxes needing to be more thought-out... I would think we all need to be even-handed about this. Smoking is either legal and totally ok or it's illegal and not totally ok.
I would be of the opinion that it is NOT totally ok. I have yet to hear of any health benefits to anyone smoking, that couldn't be administered via nicotine patch.
I do have an asthmatic child. And going out can be sheer death. Imagine going into and out of shopping areas. Smokers like to congregate outside, so that you have to pass through their haze to enter the building. Restaurants are difficult as well. It just takes one smoker on the other side of the building to make the entire place uninhabitable for him. And there are very few totally non-smoking restaurants. People even smoke outside of hospitals!
My son is a wonderful little person. I can't see locking the kid up for the rest of his life so that he doesn't come in contact with smoke. I also don't see how it's ok that his life could be cut short because public smokers are an inconsiderate lot on the whole. And I say that with no malice, being an ex-smoker myself and also the child of smokers.
My opinion is that, short of an amazing scientific discovery of a great health benefit, there should not be cigarette or tobacco sales period. At all. Ever. I know that we're not the only family affected by cigarette smoke. It's a hard habit to quit, but that shouldn't stop an intelligent woman such as yourself for seeing things as they are.
They're making money off of you and giving you nothing but misery! Eeesh. Don't get me started...
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Posted by Anonymous to The Kaitlyn Mae Book Blog at 3/30/2005 02:27:38 PM
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