...I'd like to relate which this article's reminded me of. In 1976 I was the ripe old age of 25 & single. I'd graduated from Washburn University of Topeka, KS in 1973 & was still living in a home with several other guys about 5-6 blocks off campus. This home was only 1 block away from a park where I liked to run to stay in shape. One day in May or June of that year I was doing my usual run of 6-7 laps around the park & on about the 2nd lap I noticed there was a car parked on the right side of the street with a fairly young gentleman (28-30 years old) sitting in the driver's seat by himself. When I came around on my 3rd lap running on the left side of the road, the gentleman poked his head out the window & motioned me over. I crossed over to his car & looking straight down through the window into the front driver's seat I could immediately sense this was not going to be a normal "how do you do?". As one might deduce by now, the gentleman had his "part" hanging out of his trousers & asked "hey buddy, do me a favor & I'll make it worth your while". I quickly excused myself along with a couple of sharp glances over my shoulder as I moved away from his vehicle. Needless to say I cut short my run & called it a day.
Where my story dovetails with the Post Dispatch article is what transpired the very next day. At that time I belonged to the downtown Topeka YMCA & was in the "Y" for a workout when I happened to glance towards the racquetball courts. About 20 feet away, coming out of the racquetball court door was the same gentleman who'd approached me in the park the day before. He looked at me & I looked at him, each of us knowing exactly what was on our minds. He went one way & I another. A friend of mine was with me at the "Y" & as the "perp" was walking away I asked my friend if he knew that guy. He said "oh yeah...he works for such & such firm, is married, has 2 kids, & works out here all the time".
I couldn't help but recall this past episode of mine when I read the article in the P-D. My initial reaction when this incident occurred was to think to myself "how could this guy live a double life like that?". I also remember feeling a tremendous sense of sadness for his entire family. After digesting the gist of the "research" performed by Laud Humphreys & his conclusion the majority of the trysts performed in the "tearooms" were by married men living with their wives, the connection between my past experience & the life Senator Craig may be leading takes on new meaning. Of course one can't say with any certitude from one personal incident & "research" done in a relatively unscientific manner that there's a definite conclusion to be drawn. However this does cause me to pause personally when I evaluate what Sen Craig now says about his actions in the bathroom in Minneapolis. More than ever I'm inclined to disbelieve his protestations of innocence. |
