Death of a co-worker
I’ve finally got some space to write about a co-worker who was brutally murdered recently. A co-worker, who sat a few cubicles down from me at work was brutally murdered during the week I was out sick. I was home sick when I got a call from work about it. Only as a side effect of letting me know something else. Sort of “Oh, I need you to take his name off this because he won’t be approving it after all. His body was found this morning at his house.”
I was floored. The caller didn’t have many details, just that he and his wife were dead and that they had been murdered. I saw this guy every day. He was a nice person, one of the nicest I’ve met at work. We didn’t know who did it for a week or so, but later, the police arrested his son for the crime based on evidence at the house.
Even now, when I think about it, I get sad and depressed. I’ve had people close to me die. My grandmother died years ago, but I’m still sad and I still miss her. My grandfather died when I was a little boy. I remember how nice he was, how he did little tricks for me, and his funeral with all the flowers and the huge number of people who showed up. Maybe I was a little kid and it just looked like a lot of people, but I like to think it was a lot.
This is the first person I’ve known who has been murdered, though. I’m not a violent man, but I don’t have a problem with the death penalty (when applied fairly), and I wouldn’t have a problem tripping the switch on my co-worker’s son.
Anyway, Doug, I’m so sorry that this happened to you and I miss seeing you at work and when you said “Hey, Dr. Shaffer!” when we passed each other, even though I’m not a doctor. I know you meant it was because I’m so good at what I do. I didn’t cry when I heard, but don’t feel bad because I hardly ever cry. It’s nothing personal. I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to enjoy your new house away from the kids, where you could raise your horses and just have fun.
You were a very nice person and you didn’t deserve this.
