The latest crime that titillates New York City news media has unfolded like a cautionary tale for bored housewives or husbands who keep trophy mates.A Queens mother of two got herself killed by the Latino handyman with whom she'd been having an affair. After two years, she wanted to dump him and he'd have none of it. He started texting threats to her husband and kids. So she stuck a note on her fridge, casually reminding herself to "get a new handyman". A few days later she was dead. She argued with the handyman and he stabbed her to death. A charmed life cut short. She was a blonde beauty who at 51 looked 31, thanks no doubt to the ministrations of beauticians,dieticians, plastic surgeons, personal trainers, tennis pros and masseurs. She lived in a $2 million dollar home in an affluent suburb of Queens, courtesy of a rich and handsome husband whose Jewish last name she didn't take. Though the headlines lovingly mention her as a "Queens mom", she led a double life. She strove to maintain a respectable façade while also enjoying a Walk on the Wild Side, an exciting fling with an untamed brute. But this ended her life and brought public grief and shame to her loved ones. Did her husband know? At least suspect? Was he turning a blind eye on what he considered a casual fling? Maybe. After all, it was all happening under his nose. Is this like blaming the victim? Sure,
though that
doesn't
make it any less true. She didn't deserve what happened to her--she did help bring it on. And what woman wouldn't want everything this one had and threw away with both hands? The killer was caught and he'll get his comeuppance, but that won't undo the tragedy he helped cause. He can be viewed as just scum who acted like scum because that's what scum does. At 44, he lived with his wife (yes, he was married,too) and two kids in a shack in a working class neighborhood of Queens.He did odd jobs for a living. Then he met this magic creature from a different world, got a taste of privilege, wanted more, and became obsessed with her. He was enraged when she eventually, inevitably tried to discard him. This was not some docile boy-toy, and ignoring that was her undoing. He erupted in all manner of dark passions fueled by jealousy, spite, and a wounded macho psyche she probably did not understand or count on, having no cultural point of reference for it.
Any Latina could have told her she was playing with fire. The headlines are full of Latinas killed by
lovers or ex husbands in public housing or barrio street corners. In our culture, we know very well what spiteful men are capable of. She should've known better, but she unfortunately didn't.
