Tommy’s mouth remained a frozen smile, but his eyes darkened, ever so slightly, “Hehehehe.”

My father reached out and grasped my shoulder, “Spence, son, it’s ok. I’ll talk to you later about it. For now, Tommy is going to…he’s going to…” He shot a look at my mother, “He’s going to stay with us.

And that was the start of a five year stretch I can never forget.

A few days passed and soon I learned, through whispered inquiries, that Tommy Taffy had visited everyone on our street. He was in our home, but also in theirs. I learned this from my eventual wife, Megan, who lived across the street from me. She told me that some strange guy was living in their house. After she described him, I deducted it was one in the same…Tommy Taffy.

I didn’t understand how it was possible, but knew to keep my mouth shut. Tommy had sworn me to secrecy. He swore everyone to secrecy. This was enforced by my parents, who told me in hushed whispers to never tell anyone about Tommy.

I could tell everyone feared him.

I did too. There was something unsettling about his constant smile, his slightly off features, and the cool, enunciated way he spoke and laughed. I didn’t know what he had told my parents to keep them from going to the police, why they were allowing him to live in our home, but it must have been terrible.