VANDALISM - For five successive years, from 1995 - 2000 Drumfeld's Station Rd public convenience received national recognition in the shape of Visit Scotland awards. To this day the wall immediately above the latrine is adorned by the gleaming plaques awarded in the time that Sandy Ackroyd voluntarily served as full time attendant. I often argue that petty acts of malice contribute more to human unhappiness than any Mafia. The opposite is also the case. Sandy's diligent care of the Station Road toilet may not be recorded in any history book, but few left the premises without feeling somehow invigorated by the time spent within. Under his care, it became a haven in which a visitor could lose himself in a book, listen to the accordion music (admittedly not to my taste) played on a 24 hour loop, or contemplate the images summoned by scented candles. As someone who's used public toilets all over Europe and North America, I can attest to their potential contribution to a town's international image. I have encountered filthy conditions in some of the most opulent settings in human history. Hollywood in particular resembles a cesspit: at no point in the vicinity can anyone entirely escape the stench of urine. A town can be judged by how it treats its visitors: anywhere that forces them to seek relief in alleys or dank cells smeared with excrement displays a disregard bordering on contempt.
When ill-health forced Sandy to move in with his daughter in Pitlochry, the unattended toilet was immediately besieged by grubby individuals, previously deterred by Sandy's vigilance, eager to cover the walls with details of their furtive yearnings. “I want this” and “I want that”, scrawled the husks of humanity. The most prolific of these illustrated his demands with intricate etchings carved deep into the previously pristine surfaces with black biro. Some of the figures in his sketches were recognisable as prominent local figures. As Drumfeld's most celebrated resident, needless to say, I featured in a variety of demeaning postures. Personal outrage, however, was only a small part of my motivation in setting a trap for the culprit.
Many investigators of international renown might consider a local case of vandalism beneath them. This sort of complacency allows mischief to thrive. Evil is evil, regardless of the form it takes. This isn't a philosophy, but a fact. A mind that defaces a wall might deface a human body; given the opportunity the man who casually slanders another will push him in front of a train. When the investigator accepts this first simple truth others will reveal themselves.
Home |
Glossary |
Hamilton Live |
Casebook |
Contact
