I'm Sad

My company issued phone rang at 10:00 Tuesday morning. I was awake, but still in bed. It was the friendly assignment desk asking if I could come in an hour early for a court case. A former scout master was found to have child pornography on his computer. I got to court around 1:30, grabbed the truck keys from the morning photographer, finished my whip ass triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich Jennifer made for me, and ate an apple. Johnell called to see if I'd noticed a bearded man walk out the front door of the courthouse. I hadn't, but about that time I noticed the competition running past my truck. I grabbed my camera and took off about 15 feet behind them. We passed under what used to be the civil courthouse and I noticed Charles Knight in a small alley, leaning against the wall looking tired, downtrodden and about to cry. I stopped running, grabbed my pals from the competition and we walked over and had a conversation with him.

I'm sure he had child porn on his computer. That's unfortunate. So far, there's no evidence he molested any children he worked with in the Boy Scouts or at his church where he worked with another youth program. He told us he couldn't say much. He also told us he was sick, tired and needed to go home.

I not typically affected by stories I'm on. For whatever reason, I felt terrible for this 62 year old man as I witnessed what's likely the worst few minutes of his life as he politely asked us to please let him pass through our wall of cameras. After getting the required amount of sound for what passed for a television news package, we parted and let him pass. He asked us for directions to the bus station, I pointed west and he hobbled that direction on 3rd street with his cane.

I realize he had child porn on his computer, but I sincerely hope he's alright.