Edam entered our lives at a time when we were becoming very placid. It therefore followed that the events of the next few months, would greatly effect us physically and emotionally.
When my decision to write about Edam was formed, I had no idea how to begin, I was not prepared to allow strangers to read my personal diary, besides having no desire to bore the reader with chit-chat of my family and daily life.

After long and thoughtful consideration, I carefully removed all unnecessary and private information. What remained in my journal was, several months of entries all adout Edam and the trauma that effects us still.
On the following pages are these excerpts from my journal, just as they were written, with few deletions. The names and places have been changed for obvious reasons.

It is often said that the convicted criminal is a dangerous individual who must remain incarcerated a period of time for the protection of the community. The custodian whose job it is to protect society from these felons, is usually underpaid and overworked, causing resentment toward their charges.
This is especially seen in many third world countries, where sometimes atrocious assaults are inflicted on prisoners.
Few allowances are made for the ignorant Edams' of the world, who through their own folly, have become a part of the often fallible system created by man for man.