08.17.06

Walked into Walgreen's drug store the other night. The cashier was fuh-reaking out. Her arms flapped like an agitated Sicilian's. Words tumbled out of her mouth--though her voice wasn't raised.

A pretty woman; straightened hair, frosted blue eyeshadow on her eyelids (she made it work--I was amazed), perfectly-applied lip gloss. Neatly-dressed in trousers and a collared shirt. Manicured acrylic nails that were due to be touched up and painted a frosted candy pink.

Nervous, I approached the counter. And damned if I didn't get to hear an amazing story.

This woman was married to a guy for 10 years, and with him for a total of 13 and a half years. She owns a business with him. They built a house from the ground up. They have two children.

I get the impression that they're going through, or have recently gone through, a divorce.

Their second child was never recorded in the Oregon office of vital statistics. A few days ago, they went to record their second child.

In the process, the woman found out that her husband wasn't her husband. He'd been living under an assumed name all the while. What made her suspicious was that he tried to hide his original name from her.

Weirded out, and doing some part-time work for an attorney, she started checking the name.

The guy, the man she married, is a convicted rapist and child molester.

!!?!!

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