Evil Error

Prologue

SAHARA TRAILER PARK

It was a great day. It was a Saturday in May 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona, and spring had just started to bloom. Trees and flowers were springing forth all around the trailer park where Pop Nagel and his daughter Stephanie lived. It was a beautiful sight to see. This was always a great time of year as Phoenix is mostly desert, and once summer comes, nothing blooms and it is hot and arid for months.

This was a special day, the day of the birthday party celebration for his daughter.

He had planned this party for two months. Every detail was to be perfect. All this last week he had cleaned the house, the small but adequate trailer that he and his daughter lived in. Pop Nagel, a retired Brooklyn police officer, had taken care of his crippled daughter since his wife died when the child was one year old, deserting them. He had fed his daughter, bathed and dressed her for the past twenty-eight years and now she was about to be twenty-nine years old.

At one point, for a few brief weeks, he had tried to put her in an institution, but he was unable to stand her tears begging him to take her home to their house trailer. That was the only answer. So for the majority of the past years he had taken care of her every wish. He had spent little time on anything for himself, whether it was money or social events. Everything was directed to taking special care of Stephanie twenty-four hours a day. Yes, it was time-consuming and consumed his whole life, but really there was nothing else in his life. He did not have a social life since his wife died. Most women were afraid to get involved for fear of having to take care of Stephanie, and he did not pursue outside entanglements. He had all he could do with Stephanie and they were happy together. He lived a very quiet life, especially since he retired. He read the newspaper, watched TV, occasionally took Stephanie out to eat, planted a few vegetables in their small garden, but most of the time they spent together just enjoying every day.

Pop had taken the news hard when the young doctor told him that he had cancer.

No one likes being told they are sick but it was not for himself that he felt deep sorrow in his soul. It was for his crippled, helpless daughter. The daughter he had fed, bathed and dressed all her life.

They had a little party. She loved parties. He helped her into her favorite dress. They had the foods she liked best then topped it off with white cake and ice cream.

Afterwards, while she watched TV, Pop thought about the future. Would he be able to take care of her? Would he survive until she died? Should he take his own life and leave her to fend for herself, which she really couldn’t do, or find someone to look after her to help. His money was running out and his pension was not much. His thoughts raced. What to do? What to do? For all probability and intent, both their lives could be ending as they were living. Should he take her life? What to do? What to do?