Whispers in the Dark

Interview #11

"Interview with Randy Johnson's Parents"

Interviewer: "Today, we have the parents of Randy Johnson with us. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, thank you for agreeing to this interview. I understand this is a difficult time for you."

Mrs. Johnson: "Thank you for having us. It's been very hard, but we want people to know Randy's side of the story."

Interviewer: "Let's start with Randy himself. Can you tell us what kind of person he was?"

Mrs. Johnson: "Randy was a good boy. He was smart, funny, and always full of energy. He loved sports and hanging out with his friends. He wasn't perfect, but he had a good heart."

Interviewer: "There were reports of Randy being involved in bullying Jeff Woods. How do you respond to those allegations?"

Mr. Johnson: (frowning) "Randy wasn't a bully. He might have gotten into some trouble, like any teenager, but he wasn't a bad kid. The whole situation with Jeff got out of hand, and now our boy is gone."

Interviewer: "It's understandable that emotions run high in such situations. But the reports suggest a pattern of behavior that led to serious consequences. Do you think there was more going on that you weren't aware of?"

Mrs. Johnson: (tears welling up) "We always tried to be there for Randy. Maybe we didn't see everything, but he wasn't a monster. He didn't deserve what happened to him."

Interviewer: "I understand your pain. It's just that some people believe Randy's actions contributed significantly to Jeff's breakdown. Do you think there were any warning signs you missed?"

Mr. Johnson: (voice rising) "Are you saying this is our fault? That we didn't do enough as parents? We lost our son! We're the victims here too!"

Interviewer: "I'm not blaming you, Mr. Johnson. I'm just trying to understand the situation better. Were there any indications that Randy might have been involved in something that escalated to this point?"

Mr. Johnson: (standing up abruptly) "I've had enough of this! You think you can sit there and judge us? Our son was murdered, and you have the nerve to suggest we should have done more? How dare you! [expletive] you sideways, sir!"

Mrs. Johnson: (reaching out to her husband) "Please, calm down. Let's just finish this."

Mr. Johnson: (voice shaking, pulling away) "No, I've had enough. We're done here."

Interviewer: "Mr. Johnson, I apologize if my questions were too harsh. We're just trying to piece together what happened."

Mr. Johnson: "You have no idea what we're going through. None." (leaves the room, slamming the door behind him)

Mrs. Johnson: (sobbing quietly) "I'm sorry. This is all just too much. We thought this interview would help people understand Randy, but it's only made things worse."

Interviewer: "Mrs. Johnson, I truly apologize for any distress caused. If there's anything you'd like to say to help people understand Randy better, please do."

Mrs. Johnson: "Randy wasn't perfect, but he was our son. We loved him, and he deserved better than this. I just hope people can find it in their hearts to remember the good in him, and not just the tragedy."

Interviewer: "Thank you, Mrs. Johnson. We're deeply sorry for your loss and appreciate your time."