Chapter Nine:Kathy Kohm:May



 Chapter 9

    It seemed unbelievable that school would be out soon.  Everything about this was unbelievable. It was May now. Rosemary and Bill just kept putting one foot in front of the other. They had to for their boys.  They had to keep trying for Kathy. They prayed at home and neighbors and churches all over were praying as well.  People dropped by with food and offered to help with anything. They thanked them and tried to eat but all this was so maddening.  It was like a death in the family but there was no death.  It was just so wrong.  Their whole world was turned upside down.  

     Sometimes Rosemary would wake up in the morning and go into Kathy’s room to get her up for school only to realize that of course she was not there. Everything would come flooding back.  The grief and worry and panic would all be there again.  It was inescapable.

    On May 13th 1981 Pope John Paul II was shot in Vatican City by a Turkish gunman.  The Pope would later recover from his gunshot wounds and even forgive the gunman in the years to come.  The Vatican would later develop an armored car with a bulletproof dome structure for his future safety. People would call it “The Pope Mobile” in a mocking way. 

    “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes was the number one song that weekend.  “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. was number two. 

    On May 15th George Harrison would release a tribute song about John Lennon.  “All Those Years Ago” was a loving tribute to his slain bandmate and dear friend.  Ringo Starr, Paul and Linda McCartney would sing backup vocals on the song.  

   John Lennon, Reagan, and now the Pope. It just seemed like there was no end to the violent news. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Laurie Jo Lopez and Gerald E. Bunche III: 1975, Gary

Image
    On the evening of April 6th, 1975, two teenagers went on a date. The eighteen year olds were Laurie and Gerald. They borrowed Laurie’s Mom’s car.  It should have been a fun night out. But, the two teens never made it home.    Laurie Jo Lopez graduated from Kankakee Valley High. She lived southeast of Gary, Indiana at 10 Windsor Drive, outside of Demotte, Indiana.    Gerald Ellsworth Bunche III was born on January 3rd 1957. He went to Lew Wallace High in Gary and lived at 1145 Whitcomb Street. He was the son of Erdell and Gerald Bunche Jr.  He was an active highschool kid. He played basketball and was pretty good.    Laurie Lopez was the daughter of Frank Lopez. Her mother’s name is not known to me. (Her mother is not listed on her death certificate and I was unable to find any information about Laurie’s Mom or possible siblings.) Laurie’s stepfather was Sgt. James E. Rodriguez.    I usually am ab...
Read more

Danny Rouse:Serial Killer from Indiana

Image
    Danny Rouse circa 1972 Danny Rouse 2006    I think he liked seeing the damage he had inflicted. I think that might be a central reason why he killed.       After he strangled and stabbed his co-worker, Stephanie Wagner, in 2006; he went to work the very next day. He walked right into that restaurant like nothing was wrong.  I think he wanted to be there to witness the reactions people would have when the calls started coming asking if anyone had seen Stephanie. I think he liked seeing the devastation.    After he shot Nellie Mikesells through her window in the fall of 1974, he broke into her home. He didn’t steal anything. Police theorized at the time that he broke in to see what his bullet had done.    He shot Lela Hildebrandt as she drove by one night in October 1975. The shot to the left side of her face would cause her to veer off the road and total her car. Her injuries were first thought to be ...
Read more