Three months into our dating relationship, came a pounding at the door. In bounds a young man named Ben, calling Marvin "dad". "Dad?" Until Ben's appearance, I hadn't heard mention of his existence, which in and of itself was certainly odd and spoke volumes. Marvin was 26 and Ben was 18, so I knew there wasn't a biological connection.
Ben appeared to be this massive amount of runaway energy in human form; like an out-of-control speeding train with a predicted wreck in the near future. He bounded through the doorway, and into the apartment, darting from one location to another, pacing around the furniture, looking at everything but seeing nothing. He finally landed in front of me, all wild-eyed, just long enough to say "hello," while still remaining in a state of perpetual motion by rocking on the soles of his feet. His excessive energy was palpable, and miserable to both witness and experience. His presence was toxic and affected living things in its path. I could feel my own pulse begin to race and my blood pressure rise. I had to consciously regain my composure so that I wasn't so overwhelmed by his nearness. The nurse in me equated this to be the worst case scenario of out-of-control hyperactivity that I had ever seen. One that was obvious and raging, one that certainly would benefit from pharmacological intervention. I was moved by Ben's visible suffering from this massive state of imbalance. A condition that could have been tempered with proper care. I felt pity for Ben.
Marvin's response to Ben's unannounced appearance was to rush Ben back out the door just as suddenly as he had appeared, as if he didn't want the two of us to meet.
After Ben's hasty departure, Marvin told me very little about who Ben was or about his life with him. His silence on the subject was all but deafening. When Marvin did tell me about Ben, it was in this strangely composed, casual manner. Instead of sensing warmth or nurturing, I sensed coldness and indifference, as if he were emotionally detached. At the time, I wondered if his mind was racing in an effort to choose just the right information and just the right words for the occasion. I observed him closely to see how he would proceed with his explanations.
In a detached manner he told me that when he was 21, he had adopted Ben who was 12 at the time. He casually related that he raised Ben, by himself, until just recently, when Ben turned 18 and moved out. He mentioned only two other details about Ben. That Ben had "special needs" that were documented as behavior problems, and that until the age of 14, Ben spent most of his time watching cartoons while wearing nothing but his underwear. He guarded everything else about his life with Ben. He never spoke of Ben again, as if Ben never existed.
Marvin made sure that while Ben was in his care that he never left him alone with anyone. Marvin claimed it was so that he could monitor his physical and emotional needs, but in retrospect it was to keep Ben from telling. When Ben moved out at the age of 18, Marvin kept him away from family. It appeared that Ben had been ejected and then discarded. Ben moved away to another state and had very minimal contact with his "dad."
Yes I harbored an uneasiness that Marvin was hiding information about his time spent with Ben, but it appeared that I was the only one with these sentiments regarding this bizarre arrangement. Apparently the adoption agency that was involved in Ben's adoption felt this was an appropriate placement for him. So I convinced myself that this uneasiness I experienced was not a product of active intuition, but instead a product of over-active imagination. I regret I made these rationalizations.
Why weren’t Marvin’s parents suspicious of this bizarre relationship? I suspect they were coached to believe that Marvin had performed a selfless act, that he had made a great sacrifice. They were proud of their son. And I admit, I looked past the obvious until years later, when the accusations had been made and huge parts of the puzzle fell into place. I gave Marvin the benefit of the doubt. I took the easy path and looked away. How difficult that is to say. I saw Ben one time, and looked away. I will regret that all my life.
Now in the light of retrospection, coupled with the facts about Marvin's recognized patterns of behaviors; if it is true that history repeats itself, here is my educated assumption regarding the truth about Ben:
I believe that at the young age of 21, this sociopath was already so cunning, so sophisticated, that he decided to adopt a victim. Ben would become his intended possession. Marvin would now "own" Ben. Marvin would choose Ben carefully. His physical appearance, his age, his gender, were all considerations. It's a documented fact that the criminal penalties for pedophiles are more severe for molesting children under the age of 12. Ben was no longer under the age of 12.
Ben's documented behavior problems were a definite bonus in his sinister plan. If Ben were to ever break Marvin's code of silence, Marvin would use this information to assassinate Ben's character. "Who would believe a screwed-up kid over an upstanding adult", Marvin could later proclaim. This is why Marvin chose to broadcast this specific detail to others, just to pave the way for him to play this card in the future, should he ever decide to do so.
I believe that Ben was on medication for hyperactivity before he was placed in Marvin's care. I also believe that Ben was taken off this medication by Marvin. After all, medication costs money. And the regular trips to the doctor to monitor these medications could now be avoided. He surely didn't want Ben to meet with any doctor. Something else might be uncovered, like the truth. Yes, I believe that Marvin let Ben suffer in silence for his own personal gain and told those who inquired that Ben was over-medicated and that Marvin's actions were really a rescue effort on his part.
Marvin's adoption of Ben also yielded him an additional monthly income from the State. Funds that contained an increase in its amount due to Ben's documented behavior issues. It was as if Marvin was getting paid to "own" Ben.
Yes, Marvin had it all figured out. What better way to keep a victim "under your thumb" to control them, than to keep them under your roof and under your wing. Silencing Tools.
As for the odd mentioning of Ben wearing nothing but his underwear; this was most probably done to broadcast an example of Ben's inappropriateness and also a twisted opportunity for Marvin to conjure up another stimulating mental image of Ben.
Ben was ejected from Marvin's home and his life, when Ben turned 18, when the monthly checks from the State ceased. Now Ben was no longer "useful". He was surely a loose cannon. Ben moved to another state and rarely contacted Marvin.
While Marvin was a fugitive from justice, with the authorities searching for his whereabouts, Marvin traveled to the state where Ben resided, to meet with him. A special farewell, with threatening overtones to hopefully silence Ben permanently should authorities discover his existence and locate him for questioning. A parting gift especially designed for Ben.
I never saw or heard of Ben again. But I did not look away from Ben this time. This time I told.