While following this current siege, I am increasingly reminded of a couple of works of perhaps applicable fiction:
In Linda La Rosa's, "The Random Factor," four middle-aged to elderly, quite wealthy men would meet frequently at their exclusive private club to play chess and discuss the market, politics, etc. As the story unfolds, and the reader is subtly led to relate to the boredom and sameness of their seemingly envious lives, the four gents decide to alleviate their ennui by committing random murders, which they do, and do as something of a competition among themselves. As their random murders progress, each becomes more daring and bizarre in execution.
In an episode of the excellent TV series, "Homicide, Life on the Streets," someone is poisoning wine on store shelves which results in several random fatalities. When the poisoner is caught, it is learned that he is an old guy, a stereotypical, run-of-the-mill J6P, who has leukemia. When asked why he had done what he did, he said something to the effect that most people live and die and never make a difference but, unlike those other sorry souls, he had made a difference. |
