The ghosts who live in my brain and moan dark memories about my three years as a reporter and editor of a West Texas newspaper tell me this is one of your best essays. After 36 violent deaths in 36 months (in those days we handled the fatality scene photography for all the law enforcement and investigation agencies) we fled back to the Midwest where life was "safer." Now shootings are everywhere, and in Minnesota thugs in the employ of the federal government murder people and are not held accountable. I wrote a novel, "The Executioner's Face," based on the premise that government had outsourced the justice system to private contractors. A few readers told me it was too farfetched. So it goes.
Admidst all the harrowing and hopeful things, I'm stuck with the image of the osprey being a classic osprey. Love those big lunks. Thanks for this dispatch.
The ghosts who live in my brain and moan dark memories about my three years as a reporter and editor of a West Texas newspaper tell me this is one of your best essays. After 36 violent deaths in 36 months (in those days we handled the fatality scene photography for all the law enforcement and investigation agencies) we fled back to the Midwest where life was "safer." Now shootings are everywhere, and in Minnesota thugs in the employ of the federal government murder people and are not held accountable. I wrote a novel, "The Executioner's Face," based on the premise that government had outsourced the justice system to private contractors. A few readers told me it was too farfetched. So it goes.
Thanks so much, Jerrold. The Executioner’s Face sounds excellent, and spot on.
On the subject of carcasses, you might enjoy this story (if you haven’t already heard it) about “sky burial”, which I will not elaborate on further. https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/579-towers-of-silence/
This is awesome—I had come across shorter pieces on this topic before but nothing so really comprehensive and well-written. Thanks for sharing! 🙏
Admidst all the harrowing and hopeful things, I'm stuck with the image of the osprey being a classic osprey. Love those big lunks. Thanks for this dispatch.