Dr. David Banner

People say that a person can do anything if they put their mind to it. But what happens when the mind is damaged?







"Salisbury E21", came the radio call to the unmarked unit that I was riding in.

"E21 Salisbury go ahead"

I did not answer the radio call from the Salisbury Barrack, the Trooper First Class who was training me did. I was driving - he was taking notes on my performance or lack there of.

"E21 back up a Sheriff's Deputy on U.S. Rt 50 just west of the Salisbury City line. He was transporting a mental patient and the subject jumped from the car and has barricaded himself in a house there."

"10-4 Salisbury"

As we pulled into a driveway next to the white Wicomico County Sheriff's Deputy car, I could see several deputies gathered on the front porch. They did not look very happy.

"Hi Lee," one of the Deputies said to my trainer.

Lee Fitzgerald, tall, lean, spotless appearance. A consummate professional. All business when it was time for business.

"You alright Gary?" Lee asked.

"Yeah, I'm OK. I was taking this guy to a hospital when he kicked out the side window of my car and jumped out. I was goin' 'bout 50 when he jumped. By the time I got stopped I saw him run across the yard and jump thru this window into the house."

It was a one story house about 20' by 20'. It was now missing all the glass from one window.

"Is this the guy's house?" Lee asked.

"No he lives in town," said the Deputy.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Lee.

"All I know is he was in Korea and got shell shocked. I was taking him to the hospital because his family caint control him."

"Well," Lee said "Let's go in and get him. I'll try to talk to him."

Five of us went in the front door, two Troopers & three Deputies while two Deputies watched the outside corners of the house. I remember thinking that we didn't need all of these men to get one poor sick guy.

The house was old and in disrepair. Four rooms total that I could see. We found the man standing in a back room his back to the wall shifting his weight from right foot to left. He was about six feet tall but very thin and frail looking. He was staring toward us as we came in the door but not at us. His gaze was focused at some far away place not in the room. Lee started to talk to him calmly. He asked him if he was hurt. The man didn't answer. Lee asked him his name, he didn't answer. No matter what Lee said the man continued to sway back and forth and stare. I felt the hair on the back of my neck raise. Something was definitely wrong here and I wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen. Lee was talking to the man as if he was in control but without warning all control was lost.

Lee gently touched the mans arm and said "Come on sir let's go outside."

Lee's body slammed against the far wall causing books, dust and glassware to drop to the floor. Angling for a position I was unable to get around the Deputies to find a grip on the man. Two Deputies were thrown to the floor as the third one and I rushed in and tackled the man. We caught him off guard and knocked him to the floor. I was on his back in a split second and the Deputy put all of his weight on top of me.

"Now," I thought "we have him."

"Get the cuffs on him Lee!" I shouted. "We'll hold him down."

Lee got up off of the floor and started toward me, with out making a sound the man that I was "holding down" did a push up with both me and the Deputy on his back. I pushed one of his arms outward and we slumped to the floor. Lee put most of his weight onto the human pile while he grappled for one of the mans wrists. The man again did an effortless push up with all of us on his back, but this time he made it to his feet with me still clinging to his back, my arm around his neck and my feet dangling in the air. A wall of four men hit the man running and got him back to the floor. Two men on each arm and me on his back. After a lot of effort and an equal amount of cussing it took the five of us to control the man enough to get handcuffs on him behind his back. Once he was restrained Lee continued to talk to him and he seemed to calm down. However at this point nothing was left to chance. The Deputies had also put shackles on his ankles and we wrapped him in a blanket to restrict his thrashing. Through all of this I am convinced that the man did not know that we were there.

I have seen many people with that same stare since then. Most were not caused by some emotional trauma, but were self induced by some narcotic. The result has usually been the same. Decreased mental capacity = increased physical capacity = extreme danger.

Dr. Banner was on the right track. If man could only tap into those hidden powers that we all have and use them for good. Gamma radiation and/or narcotics are not the way to go though . . .