This weekend, on my drive up to the beach house, I saw 3 used Volkswagen bugs for sale. A red one, a Peptol Bismo pink one (that one I think I want!) and a black one. It made me think of all of those awful crimes committed out west that involved the criminal driving a Volkswagen. I have read that the seat(s) are removable and therefore an easy transport for a body. Now, my guess would say that most vehicles could accommodate without all of that bother, and be alot speedier in case of a car chase. But what do I know?
Can I admit to now and then loving to read true crime? No, not those trashy magazines of my youth where the crime inevitably was rape that turned into love for the captor. Eww.. Totally predictable and really not all that interesting. But somehow forbidden and mysterious--at least to a preteen on a babysitting job, with the child asleep and probably 4 more hours to kill.
I have grown to enjoy the work of Ann Rule, a popular author of the true crime venue. She has had experience in police work as well as psychology. Her stories are chilling in all of their realism and I guess it's true what they say in that the truth is stranger than fiction. Many of them have been made into movies. Ironically enough, she was personally acquainted with Ted Bundy when they worked together at a hot line, and then later wrote his story, complete with an interview.
Although I am not interested in gore (uh uh, Charles), I do like the way she is able to get into a criminal's mind and show how he developed from a seemingly innocent childhood and usually a very good good family life. Quirks and sometimes fetishes slowly fester and grow till a sociopathic monster develops and can somehow justify his--or her creepy and then murderous behaviors. I am always amazed at the careful planning and effort that is put into each crime, when somehow the genius madmen emerges. Ann Rule has written about LOTS of such cases, and always tries to humanely portray the perpetrators as once regular citizens gone awry. She also meticulously describes crimes scenes and their processing before the days of D.N.A. testing. Ann also handles the distraught families with care and compassion.
In these tense days, when some of us Detroiters as well as some of the nation, holds it's collective breath while the search for little Neveah continues, her mother has admitted to openly befriending child sex offenders. Please let this child be found safe and unharmed. Lets all pray that Ann Rule never has to portray the missing child in an all too real story or movie.
P.S. Go Wings! Bring it to the Joe! Beat up those birds as well as you did those awful Black hawks! Yeah, yeah, yeah! xoxo
11 comments:
I've only read one Ann Rule book, Lust killer, I think. read it for a piece I was doing on serial killers. I'm exactly the opposite of you. I can handle any amount of gore if it isn't real, but true crime just gives me the heebie jeebies. Totally weirds me out.
Serial killers are a horrible fact of reality, a grotesque one. Except for campy flicks like The Bad Seed, I usually do not enjoy reading about them or seeing movies or TV shows about them.
On the other hand, my ex-wife drove a 68 VW Bug until it konked out. It was red and back in NC.
I've read plenty of true crime, including Ann Rule. For some reason I've stayed away from it. Perhaps after the Grant killing near my childhood home (where he tossed his wife's body parts in the Stoney Creek Nature Center Area) and the recent book about it, has made me wonder about writers capitalizing off of horrendous deeds. It don't seem right.
Damn you! I was all happy and shit till I got to the end of this post! Just wait till next season my dear, your Wings are going down!
Wil Harrison.com
Wil...That's what they all say about the Wings but unless you start a true crime spree against the front office which drafts very wisely and takes the time to let the talent develop...well just go ahead and hold your breath, we'll send flowers.
Jodi...for awhile there after I read Capote's In Cold Blood way back when, I went on a true crime reading jag. I will say that the different authors I read had different ways of handling the subject natter but for me the best of it was the factual accounts of what made the killer stick. Helped my writing (when i wrote of such) immensely.
I think the Bug is ideal because the captive is within easy reach, unlike they would be in a larger car...easier to control while driving.
When I was growing up my dad's friend had 2 VW bugs. I always thought they were so cool but my dad was a Ford man so we would never have one. Bummer. I saw one for sale yesterday while looking for cars for John (WOW!). Our Wings did not disappoint!! Tigers were great too.
The only crime I did was a 250lb "Beer Goggle Hottie" in the back of her Volkswagon convertable after last call at some bar in windsor.
Haha! guess who? LOL
Charles-I love getting into the head of these freaks. Can't help myself. Erik-I guess I am a weirdo, too. J.R.-you don't need to read true crime, you deal with it in real life everyday. WIL-Don't be a hatah. Wings rule and that is that. WM-I never thought of how a writing lesson could be garnered from the grisly details and how they are presented. Such is life, I guess.
Rose, as an old hippy, there were always plenty around town, usually with daisy decals and smiley face stickers. Good Luck on a car for little John. Anon-a proud moment, I am sure.
I recently asked some friends to suggest books and they pointed me towards the Ann Rule true crime. Specifically the one about Ted Bundy. So, next trip to the book store, definitely looking that up!
Cheri, not exactly the gentlest of reads for a expecting Mommy, but fascinating for sure!
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