Crossing Guard

In the news

Juan Manuel Alvarez is a very troubled man. Too troubled, that he thought of taking his life by the tracks, except when he thought he was ready to die, he jumped ship and abandoned his vehicle--in the direct path of a barrelling commuter train.

Los Angeles woke up to the news of the terrible derailment today. As of this last hour authorities have confirmed one more casualty, the eleventh dead. Nearly 200 injured, a good deal of them seriously. These were teachers, office workers, parents and students--ordinary folks like you and me--who thought it was best to take the train, for the city roads were still recovering from last week's rains.

It was the topic of hushed conversations at work today. One colleague remarked that if it were up to her, she'd condemn Alvarez to die by the electric chair. I disagreed, not on grounds that electrocution was already ruled inhumane; but that Alvarez, troubled though he was, deserves to die slowly.

Very.

Very.

Slowly.

Par CdG @ 26.1.05