I recently had to deal with a stalker. They were sending me harassing phone calls, coming by my home, and generally making my life miserable. And they were more wily than a fox.
When I told others about what was going on, their question was always the same: "who would want to hurt you, Court?" And my response was always the same: "Everyone." I've always been one of the most hated men on planet Earth, with countless people, including many former friends, having made no secret about the disdain they feel towards me. It has made ascertaining the identity of the perpetrator virtually impossible, as my list of adversaries has come to stretch a mile in length.
About the hundredth time I had that conversation though, I began to wonder: why do people hate me? Is it because I'm a jerk? Is it because of my unique ethnicity? And is it something I can do anything about?
After pondering the question for several days, it finally dawned upon me: I was hated not because of my appearances, nor my personality, but because of my profession.
I'm "The Computer Guy." That's who I've always been. If your computer has been fried, and has become a smouldering heap of goo on your desk, I can fix it. I have that skill set. And it has made me a highly valued individual in modern society. But it has also unfortunately made me many enemies.
This is because, as the computer guy, I not only know how to fix a computer, but what broke it in the first place. And 9 times out of 10, the cause of a malfunctioning computer is activity that its user would be embarrassed to admit to having done.
So yes, over the years I've come across a lot of dirt on a lot of people, without ever looking for any of it. I know who has been watching tawdry videos, who has been spying upon whom, and who has been committing white collar crimes that could send them to prison for months, if not years.
And through it all, I have been sworn to secrecy, for the simple reason that if I ever divulged any such information, even under duress, I would not only be unemployable, but also a liability that would need to be eliminated.
But if you were one of those people who I had "helped", perhaps you would one day decide that it was best not to take any chances with unexpected disclosures, and to instead remove a potential informant, if possible through intimidation, but if necessary, through more brutal means.
So, I suppose one could say I have become the man who knew too much. And my reputation has suffered tremendously as a result. Nevertheless, I have resolved to continue to be a man of secrets, and to maintain my honor, no matter the penalties incurred, because I really have no other choice.
And to anyone who dreams of this chivalric knight galloping into their life after a digital mishap to save the day, I must warn you: while I try to answer every plea, I have learned the hard way that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Being rescued will likely come at a profound emotional cost, and if you are unprepared for the anxiety of knowing that I have become privy to your business, then for both our sakes, that may not be a call you want to make.
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