Dan's Life

I would like to thank my two great editors for making my story so much easier to read. Thanks to LadyCibelle and Techsan. If you find errors when these two are finished editing, it is because I change things at the last minute.

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Chapter 1: What happened to my life?

I was sitting here in the restaurant going over my life. I have had a lot of wild things happen to me in my lifetime. Wild might not be the operative word. Strange, weird, different would all fit. Maybe my life was normal, maybe everyone had similar lives but just don't talk about it. No, that can't be, unless everyone spent time in prison.

I put in my time for a crime I committed. You see, I killed a man. I got fifteen to life and now I'm out. According to the judge I had extenuating circumstances. So, wow, I'm out in only fifteen years. At least I got out five years earlier then expected with time off for good behavior.

Fifteen fucking years because I killed a man who I thought was raping my wife. If I had known what I know now there would have probably been two dead bodies unless I would have been able to just leave. I'm a man and at that time I had a lot of pride.

Let me explain life and how I see it. People around us act some way and we react to their action. Boy, that sounded dumb, let me give you examples.

I'm standing in an aisle in any store. A couple is there and the wife bends over. I'm standing next to the husband or whoever and we both see the woman's panties and the crack of her ass. I'm supposed to ignore the scene but I can't. The man sees what I'm looking at and smiles at me. How am I suppose to take it? I would love to say, "Nice ass. Mind if I touch it?" Yet the man just stands and stares at his wife's ass too. I'm never sure what to say or do.

I go in another aisle and the woman has no bra on and I see her big tits and her nipples. I start getting a hard-on because my brain doesn't know any better. I want to reach out and grab this lady whom I don't even know by her tits. She has every right to wear or not to wear a bra. Do I have a right to look at her breasts? Good question!

Girls and women wear hip-huggers. They hang as low as four or five inches below their belly button. Get close enough and you see the light fuzzy hair on the lower belly and to me it's a turn-on.

All the movie stars push sex and are married time and time again. The movies themselves are all about sex. Now television is all about sex. So when I'm out in public I look at every woman and I think about sex. However some women, I would never want to get near with a ten foot pole (well, unless you've been in prison for fifteen years) and there are others that I would almost go to jail to get hold of, until I settle back down into reality.

To young people today all those things and lifestyles are normal but for us slightly older people, especially those who have been out of commission for awhile it's sexy as hell and very confusing.

I'm not even sure where to began my story. There is enough information in my head to write a book. I guess I ought to start with telling you about my formerly wonderful marriage that ended in divorce when I went to prison.

Rita was my wife of nearly ten years. I had just gotten out of college and was a regular guy looking for a job. I went to this one firm and as I was waiting to be interviewed I kept looking at the receptionist. Damn, what a cute girl/woman! At twenty-two, I looked at women as a younger guy would. They were girls, broads, gals, or women, all the words were interchangeable with me. I kept smiling at the receptionist who was Rita. We started a conversation and eventually I asked her out. I got the date but not the job.

I did find a job selling hardware products. It was a good paying job, I received both a salary and selling bonuses. Life was turning out to be pretty good for me being fresh out of college. A girlfriend and a good job, I was on my way to a successful career and life. I proposed to Rita after just a few months and we were married by the mayor of our town. I couldn't have been happier.

We bought a nice home and started a family. After a year we had a son and two years later a daughter. As far as I knew life was good. We had our problems but we had our good times too. Our life went on probably like all your neighbors. We did things with our kids, took them on vacations and had the usual neighborhood barbeques. I didn't suspect my wife was anything other then true and loving to me. I know I was to her. I had many chances for affairs since I was on the road a lot but I did my best to be a loving husband and not stray. I do have to admit it was hard at times but I had my pride and always put my family first.

We decided to put in a swimming pool for the kids - well, actually it was for all of us. That's what I'm trying to say. I never saw it coming. I thought we had a loving marriage, a good relationship. I must have been walking around in never-never land with blinders on. Rita seemed like a good wife and mother. Problems and arguments, sure we had them just like every other married couple we knew. Even after fifteen years I still can't get it out of my system. Where the hell did I go wrong?

We had the swimming pool in and were enjoying it. The kids, who were then seven and nine years old, were in the pool all the time. Rita and I would get in after dark and she would take off her little two piece bathing suit and we would do it in the water. I remember the first time we had sex in the pool. She slipped her bottoms off and I started fingering her under water. Then I pushed her against the side of the pool and put my hands under her ass as she raised her legs and wrapped them around me while I entered her. The feeling was so different with all the splashing of the water that we were doing. I came loads in her; good thing we bought the larger pool filter.

After the first couple of times, Rita thought we should get a privacy fence put up so the neighbors couldn't see us while we were in the pool. I started putting up the fence the next day, setting the poles for the fence. I knew it was going to take me a week to put it up by myself so I left all the tools out that I knew I would need like the wheelbarrow and shovels. The only tools I put away were hand tools and electrical stuff in case of rain.

I was supposed to go out of town for a couple of days and told Rita I would finish the fence when I returned. As usual she was pissed at me saying I was never at home like other husbands. I explained to her for the hundredth time that I was a salesman and I had to travel, that was my job. She yelled at me and said I should be at home like other husbands staying at home and protecting my family.

She always said shit like that to piss me off. I told her if anyone tried to attack her we had a pistol in the end table next to our bed. What was a guy to do? Lots of men traveled. Did their wives always complain? Maybe I should get a job where I didn't travel. I would talk to her about it after this trip. It would be a lot less money but at least I would be home. That might satisfy her.

I kissed her goodbye in the morning and told her I would try to be home in two days. I told her to take care and I would call her. She told me not to bother; she might not be home. Again she was playing the 'Woe is me' game. So I left for my trip.

My first night I would be staying only forty miles from home. I usually stayed at the motel so I could get a quick start the following day. After our argument, I thought I would surprise her and come home and do the extra driving the next morning. When I got home, it was getting dark and I pulled in the drive. There was a strange vehicle parked across the street. As a salesman I always noticed things like that.

The lights were off in the house except for a lamp in the living room. I turned the knob but the storm door was locked so I walked around to the back door by the pool. I heard Rita screaming and rushed to the back porch. There was Rita being raped by a stranger. I heard her screaming but didn't listen to her words. I grabbed the shovel and ran up to the pool deck and hit the rapist as hard as I could on the back of the head and neck with the shovel. I must have hit him three times, I really didn't know. He rolled off of Rita onto his back with blood everywhere.

Rita started screaming again, "You killed him, you killed him."

I think she was in shock as I ran into the house and called 911. Rita was screaming and crying all at the same time until the paramedics and police arrived. There were two ambulances. One took the rapist and the other took Rita.

The police told me they would have to cuff me and take me to the station and question me. I told them I understood but needed to find out where my kids where. The officer said he asked my wife if anyone else was around and she said our kids were at her sister's for the night. They had planned on being there. I thought thank God they weren't home. God knows what might have happened if they would have been there.

Rita's sister Thelma was a real looker. She was two years younger than Rita and was always dating. She was a chunky sort with big tits and a beautiful face. When she was around me she would always flirt. I thought many times about wrapping my lips around her tits, I really did, but I wanted to honor my marriage vows. I could have fallen for her pretty easy. Now looking back I guess I went after the wrong sister. Funny though that for a gal that went out and was as nice as Thelma that she didn't get married, at least in the ten years I knew her.

When we got to the station the officers took me into a room and started asking me questions. I told them to let me tell them everything I knew and then I would answer any other questions they might have.

I began by telling them about Rita and I arguing and so I thought I would surprise her and come home. When I saw the man raping her, my adrenalin just took over and I grabbed the shovel and beat him with it. All during this time I told them that Rita was screaming. I did mention that the night before Rita said she thought I should be home at nights to protect her and the kids so that was the first thing I thought when I saw the intruder.

The officers asked me if I knew the man and I told them I didn't.

"Have you ever seen him before?" the officer asked.

I told them he looked a little bit familiar but couldn't place him. That's when I got the shocking news. I was under arrest for second degree murder. I couldn't believe it. I told the officer that was impossible. I come home and find a man raping my wife and I stopped the assault and I get arrested.

"We just had a officer come back from talking with your wife and taking her testimony. She wasn't raped, That was her boyfriend and they were having sex," the officer said.

"God, no, it can't be true. Rita is my loving wife. We have two children together. She wasn't having an affair," I cried.

The officer looked at me and said, "Fella, I do feel sorry for you but you killed a man tonight. You took the law into your own hands and now you will have to stand trial for his death."

I fell silent. My mind stopped working. I had no idea what would happen next. The officers put the cuffs on me and guided me into a holding cell and then removed the cuffs.

The next morning I was taken to court for charges and bonding. I was put on a million dollar bond and charged with second degree murder. That meant I would have to come up with one hundred thousand dollars to get released on bond. The only way would be to cash in our savings and maybe a second mortgage. I called the house and only got the answering machine. I never did get out on bond. Rita never answered my calls, in fact she never talked to me alone again. The next time I saw her was in court when she literally testified against me. They say that a wife doesn't have to testify against her husband, but Rita volunteered. Allen, the man I killed, was her boyfriend. It seems that she was going to ask me for a divorce and marry Allen.

I couldn't prove that I didn't know Allen. How do you prove you don't know someone? Allen worked with Rita for the last few months. He was divorced and started to put the moves on Rita. Apparently she fell for the guy and was going to marry him. They have been together for the last couple of months. The prosecution presented a case of revenge against me saying I knew of the affair and wanted to get even and found my chance. I really didn't have a defense against it especially with my wife as a witness for the prosecution. I was doomed.

Rita must have really hated me for killing Allen. She wouldn't even let me see my kids. The only person to come and see me was my brother. Ray is the one who told me all he found out about Rita and the kids. I was to serve a minimum sentence of twenty years to life.

Ray came by every few months for the first couple of years and let me know what was happening. He told me that Rita sold the house and she and the kids moved away, but he didn't know where. He said as far as he knew she was able to even turn the kids against me. He never saw them after they moved. Let's face it, at the time they were seven and nine.

Ray mentioned that he and his family were moving to Florida and when I got out to come and see him. That was the last time I had seen him. I did get one visit from my old boss before I was sent up. He told me he felt that I was set up and he was a character witness for me. He was a decent sort. Of course he had to put on my report that he had to let me go. Legal stuff - you know how it is. I did ask for one favor. I had a 401k savings account that I had paid into for ten years for my retirement. I asked him if he could just hold it and not tell Rita or her lawyers I had it. He said if they found out any other way he would have to turn over the paper work but he wouldn't bring it up. He wished me the best under the circumstances and went on his way.

I need to tell you more about Thelma, Rita's sister. She never visited me but for awhile kept in touch with me. She would write and tell me about my kids and how they were doing. She said Rita tried to turn the kids against me but whenever she got the chance she tried to tell them what a nice guy I was. She always signed the letters, "Love, Thelma." Damn, wish it were true. She wrote me for about eight years. Then the letters stopped. I don't know if it was because of my transfer into another prison. Oh, I forgot - they like to call it a correctional facility.

I started in Mansfield Correctional and then when they were closing up Mansfield I was transferred to the Orient Facility. There was another Dan Jones in Mansfield at the same time as me and he was transferred to Lucasville Prison in southern Ohio. I was thinking maybe he started getting my mail. That was a joke because we had our own personal number.

In the last couple of letters I received from Thelma, over eight years before, she told me that Rita sold the house and moved in with her. The kids were doing fine but Rita came down with Multiple Sclerosis, a horrible muscle disease. They were only giving her a few years. I know I was bitter against her but to see her waste away would be something I wouldn't wish on her. Besides she was still the mother of my kids. Thelma told me not to write to her because if Rita found out she kept in contact with me that the shit would really hit the fan.

I was now out of prison, back in my old hometown, sitting there having a cup of coffee and inhaling the free air. Let's see, my son would be twenty-four and my daughter twenty-two. I had no idea what they looked like anymore, never seeing even a picture of them in the last seven years since Thelma stopped writing me. Now anytime I saw a young person go by I always wondered about my kids. I hated Rita for what she did to me and our family and would be afraid to see her because I would end up back in prison. I couldn't hate my kids - a parent just doesn't do that. They probably never knew the real story and just think of their dad as a killer.

Now it was time to plan the rest of my life.

Chapter 2: What next?

I found a room to stay at in a rooming house in the old neighborhood. I figured I better go see my old boss if he was still alive and see if Rita ever found out about my 401k retirement plan. I had never told her about it. I might have a few bucks other than the couple hundred I earned at the prison. Hell, with nobody giving me money I was earning it and spending it. Lucky to have anything left.

I walked into the store; it sure looked different. I asked the counter guy if Jim still owned the place and he said he did and was in the back office. I told the guy I was a very old friend and asked if it would it be alright to surprise him. The guy looked me up and down a few times and told me to go on in.

As I entered the office an elderly man looked up at me and screamed out, "Jesus Christ, Dan, I was told that you were dead."

I looked up at my old friend and said, "No, I'm very much alive as you can see. How's business been, Jim? It's sure good to see you. You're the first friendly face I've seen in fifteen years."

I stayed there for a good hour and we talked. He told me about all the business changes and about his family growing up. He even offered me a job in the store. He said no man was as good at selling hardware as I was. He wished he could offer me a field job but because of my past, I probably couldn't get bonded right then.

I asked him about my 401k and he said no one ever asked about it and it had been sitting there for the last fifteen years gaining interest. He said he was going to let it sit there and contact my kids at my retirement age and give them the money. I told him to find out what it was worth because I would need funds to get back on my feet. He asked me to stop in Monday of next week when he would have my information for me and also I could start my new sales position. He liked to say that rather then the word job. We shook hands and I headed out of the store.

I was wondering why he thought I was dead. I would have to ask my parole officer about it next week. He would be glad to hear I got a job so quickly. He was a pretty nice guy but I hear he is pretty stern when it comes to parolees.

It was time to face the music as I headed to the last known address of Thelma. Damn, she was such a nice woman. I was wondering if Rita was still living with her and what about my kids. I was really nervous as I took the bus over to their street. The area didn't look like it had changed at all. Some of the houses were a little run down while others had facelifts. New siding and windows. I could see Thelma's place and had to stop before getting there. I wasn't sure how to approach her. What if Rita answer the door? Boy, was I nervous as I climbed the few stairs and knocked on the door.

From inside the house I could hear a female voice saying, "Hold on, I'll be right there." It sounded like Thelma. I was turned around with my back to the door looking down the street when I heard a voice behind me say, "Can I help you?" through the screen door.

I turned around and looked at Thelma looking back at me. "Oh, my God, my God, Danny, is it really you? My God, my God," as she opened the screen door. She came out and put her arms around me. She started crying. Other than being a little older she looked just as good as she always did. I know I shouldn't say this but having those big soft breasts pressing against me was starting to get me a little warmed up.

"My God, Danny, they said you were killed in prison. God, I'm so happy to see you," as she kept hugging me. "Come on in, Danny, please come in." She seemed to calm down a little.

Before I stepped in, I asked her about Rita. I didn't want to go in if she was there. "Danny, Rita died two years ago from MS. Please come in and we can talk about everything."