insanityThen one morning about three weeks from the end of the term there was a change. For the first time, Wyatt remained in his seat until everyone else had left the room. I looked at him expectantly. He remained motionless and silent, looking at me, for several seconds.
“Yes, Wyatt?" I asked pleasantly. "What can I help you with?”
“I’m circulating a petition,” he said. “I wondered if you would sign it.”
“That’s not normally my kind of thing,” I demurred. "What’s it about?”
“I'm requesting that Charles Manson be released from prison,” Wyatt responded. “He’s still incarcerated even though for six years now he has been eligible for parole. In that time many other murderers just as bad have been released, and the only reason Charles still remains in prison and has not been paroled is that in his crimes he made such a bloody mess. That's unfair. I believe that Charles should be set free."
Wyatt made these remarks in a flat, cool, even tone, without a hint of irony. He was not making a joke. He was trying to be neither clever nor contentious. His was a courteous, almost formal request, as if he were asking me simply to support the formation of an ad hoc committee to conduct an exploratory study of the city’s waste management system. As I considered his words, silently speculating upon their origin and intent, Wyatt waited, expressionless, looking at me. His face appeared as open and as innocent and benign as that of a small child. Behind my massive desk I sat, front and center, Wyatt at the back of the room, the irregular rows of small, vacant school desks between us. For several seconds we watched each other wait and think.
“No, I don’t think so, Wyatt,” I said finally. “I don’t really know enough about the situation to make an informed decision. But thank you for asking,” I added. "It's food for thought."
“It’s prejudice, plain and simple,” Wyatt added. “A lot of other murderers were even worse, but they didn’t make as big a mess. I don’t see why Charles should suffer for that.”
“You may be right, Wyatt,” I said, trying to conclude our conversation. “Many of my students are upset about the inequalities and apparent injustices of our criminal justice system. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention, and good luck with your petition. Be sure to let me know how it all turns out. Now is there anything about your paper I can help you with?”
“No,” he said.
............................................
INSANITY to be continued
“Yes, Wyatt?" I asked pleasantly. "What can I help you with?”
“I’m circulating a petition,” he said. “I wondered if you would sign it.”
“That’s not normally my kind of thing,” I demurred. "What’s it about?”
“I'm requesting that Charles Manson be released from prison,” Wyatt responded. “He’s still incarcerated even though for six years now he has been eligible for parole. In that time many other murderers just as bad have been released, and the only reason Charles still remains in prison and has not been paroled is that in his crimes he made such a bloody mess. That's unfair. I believe that Charles should be set free."
Wyatt made these remarks in a flat, cool, even tone, without a hint of irony. He was not making a joke. He was trying to be neither clever nor contentious. His was a courteous, almost formal request, as if he were asking me simply to support the formation of an ad hoc committee to conduct an exploratory study of the city’s waste management system. As I considered his words, silently speculating upon their origin and intent, Wyatt waited, expressionless, looking at me. His face appeared as open and as innocent and benign as that of a small child. Behind my massive desk I sat, front and center, Wyatt at the back of the room, the irregular rows of small, vacant school desks between us. For several seconds we watched each other wait and think.
“No, I don’t think so, Wyatt,” I said finally. “I don’t really know enough about the situation to make an informed decision. But thank you for asking,” I added. "It's food for thought."
“It’s prejudice, plain and simple,” Wyatt added. “A lot of other murderers were even worse, but they didn’t make as big a mess. I don’t see why Charles should suffer for that.”
“You may be right, Wyatt,” I said, trying to conclude our conversation. “Many of my students are upset about the inequalities and apparent injustices of our criminal justice system. Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention, and good luck with your petition. Be sure to let me know how it all turns out. Now is there anything about your paper I can help you with?”
“No,” he said.
............................................
INSANITY to be continued
