Marino
In 2008, I was sitting on a plane next to Marino, headed to Burning Man. Marino may not be his real name but this is what he is called by everyone in my son Michael's group of friends. They all have names for each other. Michael goes by "Borfo", formerly the name of his grandfather's dog. I am sure this practice is harmless and that there is a rational explanation, but it hasn't been made clear to me as of yet. If they were taking down armored cars and banks, or serving as mercenaries, it would make perfect sense.
I was trying to relate to Marino the details of an unusual news story I had seen in the paper. It's a tale that deserves to be told with all of the trimmings. I was able to get across the gist of it for him but fell way short of doing justice to the story. Marino, who looks like one of the Pharisees, is one of those rare souls that covet the bizarre; he would be the ideal webmaster for Ripley's Believe It or Not. It is only now, 6 years later, that I have a chance to make amends. My source is the Monday September 1, 2008 edition of The Reading Eagle, published in Reading, Pennsylvania; section D7, page 3 of 21.
In 1986, Cheryl Sweat marries Isaac "Bo" Carter and settles in South Carolina. Cheryl bears Bo 2 sons, but the marriage is annulled after 3 years when it is discovered Bo is married to someone else.
In 1989, Cheryl begins fooling around with one of her dad's employees, Terry Cottle, who is in a 9-year marriage and has 2 daughters. Bo calls Cottle's wife and rats out Cottle for sleeping with his ex-wife Cheryl. Cottle's wife sues for divorce. In May, nine days after the divorce is granted, Terry Cottle marries Cheryl, adopts her two sons by Bo, and Cheryl bears Terry a daughter.
In 1994, Terry and Cheryl move from a single to a double-wide mobile home. Cheryl pursues a nursing degree while Terry, in an effort to meet Cheryl's demands for luxury, works 3 jobs - property manager, real estate agent and emergency medical technician.
In March 1995, Cheryl states she can not stay with a man who earns less than her and flings her wedding ring over the back fence. Terry Cottle goes into the bathroom and puts a .22-caliber slug into his brain. After Terry has spent 4 days in the trauma unit, Cheryl agrees to take the 33-year-old Terry Cottle off life support and donate his organs. 60 miles southwest in Hilton Head, South Carolina, 57-year-old Remus T, "Sonny" Graham receives the call he has been waiting on for nearly a year. Terry Cottle's heart is transplanted into Sonny Graham's chest. Sonny is well known on the barrier island. He manages the local telephone service provider; the local high school football field is named after him; and his Brunswick stew is a staple at community gatherings.
In 1996, Sonny sends a letter to Cheryl expressing his appreciation.
In January 1997, against the advice of his 2 grown children, Sonny and his wife of 36 years, Elaine, meet with Cheryl at a restaurant in Charleston. Sonny stated years later that he fell in love with Cheryl at this meeting. In May, Cheryl marries George Watkins (husband number 3) in a ceremony where Sonny gives away the bride.
In January 1999, Cheryl bears George a son. Elaine discovers that Sonny is messing with Cheryl. Both couples, Cheryl and George as well as Elaine and Sonny, end their respective marriages.
In October 2001, Cheryl and Sonny move into a mobile home and Sonny begins building a custom home to meet Cheryl's specifications.
In May 2002, Cheryl leaves Sonny, who files suit in an attempt to recover loans made to Cheryl and a diamond ring. While the court case is in progress, Cheryl marries husband number 4, John Johnson. John is a correctional officer at the prison where Cheryl has been working as a nurse. Before the year is out, charges of domestic abuse are filed against both Cheryl and John.
In August 2004, Cheryl and John are divorced. Cheryl wears an engagement ring from Sonny Graham throughout the proceedings. In December, Cheryl and Sonny are married.
In February 2008, Sonny asked a long-time friend and fishing buddy to be the executor of his will. The will leaves nothing for Cheryl. As Sonny explained, "keeping Cheryl in the style she wants to live" had erased all of his retirement, savings and investments. Despite the seemingly successful landscaping business that he had built up, his debts were three times more than his assets.
On April fool's day of 2008, 69-year-old Sonny Graham (husband number 5), kept alive by the now 46-year-old heart of Terry Cottle (Husband number 2), went into the backyard shed, put a 12-gauge Remington shotgun to his throat, and brought things to a close.
That's for you Marino, I can rest easy now.