Drinking the Kool-Aid

***Warning: suicide, mental health, cults, religion

The headline said "Cult celebrity along with 13 adults -dead" 

It was cold. It was snowing. It was dark. It was mind boggling. 

I feel the gum in my mouth is hard- not chewable. How long have I been out?

" How do you feel? What happened here?"

" Ma'am do you know what day of the week it is?"

" Who is the president?"

" How much have you taken?"

Huh? I realized that I was only wearing a hoodie- that's it. Instinctively I moved my hands over parts that I usually don't permit strangers to see. "Has anyone ever told you that your questions are annoying?" The confused EMT looked barely 18 years old. I quickly responded, none of your business, Friday, Biden, and None. 

INTERVIEW DATE: 2-22-22

 CASE #: 2022- 777

INTERVIEW OF: 

Abigail Miller (AM)

INTERVIEWED BY: 

Scott Phill (SP)

Michael Mueller (MM)

SP: Good morning, Ma'am. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us. 

Can you make yourself useful and find my pants and socks… and fetch me a cup of Earl Grey.

I hope that detective doesn't pour my tea into a Styrofoam cup. I hate Styrofoam. 

SP: Yes. Of course. What was your relationship with Mr. Tommy Young? 

He was my dad. It is funny how Dad didn't mind Styrofoam cups. He has an opinion on everything from Botox to Ralph Lauren. He is a good-looking man, not in any kind of natural way, especially since he got his teeth whitened. He calls it refluffing. Claims the only reason he gets refluffed is to attract more followers. 

SP: Followers? Like on Instagram, is that what you mean?

I am trying to help. I guess it has been, geez- how long… maybe 20 years now. When Dad retired, he started online witnessing, an 'experiment' he called it. Maybe he was bored. It started as individual chat sessions, then later group testimonials. Then one day Jeffrey Somebody donated money to Dad's channel and the actor requested a private session. It wasn't long after that dad moved to the campground- this campground. Here.

Back then I was happily married, so Dad moving to the other side of the country didn't really affect me. Afterall he always wanted to preach or something like that. Mom told me that back during the Vietnam draft my dad dodged it by going to seminary. You know if you think about it, I guess I would never have been born if he had gone to war. So, whether all that bible stuff was actually genuine or not I am not sure. 

The detective nodded his head. 

So, umm, usually I get a text on my birthday. I was surprised when my dad called me for my birthday- my 40th birthday- back in January. I remember he was talking about the snow and about his new this and new that. Did he say Porsche? You need to understand that he was a bull shitter, our calls, when we did talk, were filled with extravagant stories- some true, some fiction. I realized a long time ago that he wasn't always truthful. 

SP: What was your relationship with Mr. McGee? 

Oh, him. Yes, I mean none. No relationship- actually I just met him. Long hair McGee was someone Dad talked about, they were friends. Said he just showed up. Said that he arrived shirtless, shoeless- only a guitar slung over his shoulder. "Like Jesus- in a way," Dad said.

Yesterday was the first time I talked to him.

Do you know where that kid is with my tea?

SP: What else can you tell us? 

Maybe it was Halloween- could've been the day after either way it was a Sunday. I joined my dads FB live worship page. I don't know why- something inside me alerted me that I need to check on dad, not that he checks on me, but, anyway…

I logged on and I didn't recognize anyone. Does Long hair have tattoos? and a GPS bracelet? Where is my dad? 

It was the first time that I felt scared for my dad. I texted him. I called him. The Facebook chat was disabled. I had no choice. I had to go see for myself- I booked the first flight to Virginia. Naturally I was alarmed. I feared I may have a panic attack. When I saw Dad, he was skinny, skinnier than normal-. I guess that is why he isn't wearing his pinky ring. Is he drunk? There was a sign on the wall that said, "We are Ready" and in the corner sat a shirtless group of men talking about God. Wait- did he talk in tongues? My gut was telling me to get dad out of there. Is he drunk again? Wait- is that the actor? 

" I should call my sister." I said to the detective. 

" Of course," He looked at the clock, " 20 more minutes, please continue." 

Well, I was tired. First the flight, the time change, then the shock- it was a lot for me. You have to understand, this- cult-like circus was the exact opposite from what I expected. 

SP: You are doing great! What happened next? 

Next was dinner. Long hair explained to me that the group stopped eating meat, he said, It is important to take care of your vessel.

There was creepy religious music playing. 

I couldn't stomach the bean burgers. Those hippies must have stopped using deodorant and taking showers too. I wanted to remind them, it is important to take care of your vessel…

What is the name of that song? Oh Geez. It's slow, from the 80's, kinda creepy? I started to hum it-🎶 🎶'Cause- I've got to be free 🎶-Oh! I think it's called 'Come Sail Away'. That song was playing over and over and over. 

After dinner there was a Hot Chocolate bar setup, and Elf- the movie was supposed to start soon. Have you seen Elf before? 

OMG- It is snowing. I am technically a snow virgin. I was on a layover in Minneapolis once- looked out and saw the snow, but never touched it or smelled it. Do you like snow?

I was thinking while I was out here visiting I might go White Water Rafting. Do you have any suggestions for sightseeing? 

SP: Did you suspect anything like this would happen? 

No way! Not in a million- gazillion years. Yes, my dad was eccentric. Yes, his friends were strange, but never- no- not this. I guess I was lucky. Last night I drank tea- not hot chocolate. Speaking of tea…. Where is my Earl Grey? 

END OF RECORDING