charlie the perv

I've recently learned that someone I know is into child pornography.  As sickening as that is, I realized that it made sense in a way.  I was shocked when I accidentally found out.  A couple of moments later, I realized that this is a person that I've despised for a long time, but didn't know why.  Some people just give you the creeps.

I'm not ready to openly talk about this guy.  I've already written all about it, but the time is not right.

I will talk about my own brush with a pedophile.

I was 6 years old.  There was a very nice old man who lived across the street.  His name was Charlie.  He's dead now.  Well, either that or he's 120 years old.

Anyway, all the neighbor kids would play in Charlie's yard.  It was a huge downhill from his house to the street.  We would often climb the stairs to near his house and roll down his hill.  Great fun.  

And old Charlie was the nicest old man.  He always was friendly and gave us treats.  He was never grumpy like all the other old men.  He let us play in his yard for God's sake!

Everybody.  Say Perrrrrrrrrv!

   

Charlie's house is straight across from this porch.  It can't be seen in this photo, but that's where it was.

So my sister was not born yet.  She was on the way and we were going to move.  The duplex would not be big enough.  Dad was ready to buy a house.  Everybody in the neighborhood knew we were moving.

One day, old Charlie called to me while I was playing in his yard.  He was so friendly.  There was nobody else around.  He said he wanted to tell me something.  Ok, I thought.  He said I should come into his house.  I had never been into his house, but I figured he wanted to give me a present or something.  I went in.

Once I got inside, he said we had to go down into the basement for what he wanted to tell me.  I thought it was weird, and was a little scared, but it was Charlie.  I followed him onto the basement.

Once we got downstairs, he led me to an old chair next to the furnace at the far end.  He sat in the chair and told me to sit on his lap.

I sat on his lap and we were both facing the same direction.  He started telling me how I was such a good boy and he was going to miss me once I moved.  He put his arms around my chest and squeezed me to his.  I had no idea what a boner was, but he had one.  He was squeezing my butt and legs between his legs.  

I knew something was wrong.  I said my dad was going to take me fishing.  At that, he must have remembered who my dad was.  Most dads, upon hearing what had just happened would have promptly gone over and killed Charlie.  My dad was way worse than most dads.  

Charlie released me and said goodbye.  Innocent enough.  That was his cleverness.  Nothing could be proved and it was good old charlie.

To me, what's crazy about this is how simply a child could be abducted.  A trusted neighbor can snatch a little kid just like that.  If Charlie had decided to keep me, there's nothing anybody could have done about it.  I would have just disappeared.  Maybe.

Maybe, he'd have been discovered.  Maybe not.  I like to think I'd have been rescued, but who knows.  For whatever reason, Charlie decided not to follow through with whatever he had planned that day.  I could actually feel the shift. When he changed his mind and returned to humanity and let me go.  He sat in the chair as I bolted from his house, ashamed that I had done something terribly stupid.

When I got outside, there was still nobody around.  I went home.  Mom said she'd been looking for me.  I sat on the floor in front of the television and watched my favorite show - Bewitched - while mom finished up the ironing.  All in all, not a bad day.

Edit: Some additional thoughts/revelations ...

Before finding out about that guy I know who's into child pornography, I only thought of people who hurt children as non people who should without prejudice, be dispatched immediately to the other side.

Now - After considering this for a while - I think "Monster" is appropriate.  Monster has a feeling that the person is not entirely in control of their actions, which I believe.

I think any action taken against the monster should be with the goal of protecting the children.

On the way into work today, I was thinking how easily children believe in monsters.  I was realizing this potentially plays a role in protecting them.  What is a Monster if not some overpowering force that acts based on it's twisted nature.  Yeah - pervs are monsters.

Also - true story:  When I was little, I thought the song "This old man, he played one ..." was literally about Charlie. I thought "this old man came rolling home" referred to the big hill out in front of his house that we always used to roll down.

Later I thought I knew what "played knick-knack on my knee" was ...