Blinders On, Instincts Off

While Syria implodes, and Greece and Italy appear to be getting bail-outs to save their countries, those of us in the States who are temporarily on hold in our own economic and uncivil political divide, can divert our attention by numerous petty and large scandals in which human nature leads the way on what we so lovingly call "rubber-necking" while watching an accident or crime scene unfold.

In this case, I'm referring to the trial of former Penn State University's one-of-many-football-coaches, Jerry Sandusky. The friendly guy with the warm grin who loves to be the "Tickle Monster" to young boys while either showering or "playing" with them in wrestling games, allegedly grabbing a bit of non-consensual and illegal "fun" along the way.

Today the Defense rested their case - whatever they think their "case" is, as it doesn't look like anyone other than Mrs. Sandusky and a few non-molested boys stood up in ole' Jerry's defense. In fact, can you imagine being his wife? "Dottie" Sandusky? Reports are that Mrs. Sandusky is a rather formidable person and you don't want to mess with her. On the witness stand yesterday, she basically let it be known that she has a bit of a mild memory problem but can't possibly imagine why so many boys and a faculty member would suggest her husband was a pedophile.

Can you imagine being in her place? How utterly horrid it would be to be told by so many varying sources that the man you have slept beside for years in matrimonial harmony is accused of having sex with not only boys, but boys who were sleeping in your basement while your husband "played" with them?

From what I "get" from reports of Mrs. Sandusky's demeanor, she's an "old school" gal and she, like many women of her generation and/or mind-set, simply will not allow that sickening intuitive "gut feeling" of something being amiss with one's spouse to become comprehensible. The thoughts/feelings must go away - stuffed to the darkest parts of one's psyche, just as deep as the distance between the basement in her home and the upstairs where she went about her own business.

No, I'm not blaming Dottie for her husband's alleged actions. She wore beautiful blinders for years, I'm sure, and taking them off now that they have become a part of her would be so painful one can't imagine how such an unveiling would affect her life. The Blinders have become a second skin. Try ripping that off. No way is that going to happen. At least at this stage.

I've read accounts of women who discovered, usually after a long, trying process, that their husbands were serial killers, rapists, robbers, etc. Almost all of the women were oblivious, yet a few knew something wasn't "right" but had nothing tangible with which to validate the feeling.

But in Mrs. Sandusky's case, I believe (based on other articles I've read) that she had, at the very least, an inkling that Jerry had a bit of a problem. She just wouldn't/couldn't digest it. Who would want to? He's who she married. He was the genial "nice guy" with a sterling reputation in Pennsylvania and an easy-going manner (we presume), not to ignore the basics: the cliche'd "good provider".

Nope. I would not want to be Mrs. Jerry Sandusky right now. Especially when the judge reads what I imagine will be a "Guilty" verdict in the near future. If she had been wanting a little space from her newly chaotic life with a man accused of 51 counts of child sex abuse, she may get her wish when he goes away to the Isolation Section of a jail because, as you know, if pedophiles are mixed into the general prison population, their life expectancy is almost zero. Thus, it's a silent, grim life.

I hope Dottie is ready to spend the remaining years of her life visiting her husband behind glass shields and the occasional conjugal visit where they'd probably hug and cry more than anything else. Yep. That's a sad vision, isn't it? But let's get real. Deluded or what, it does not look "good" for the Genial Coach.

Stay tuned.....

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