Free A Sniper in the Tower by Gary M. Lavergne Page B

card he characteristically typed a list of things he needed to do to enhance his relationship with her:
GOOD POINTS TO REMEMBER WITH KATHY
1. Don't nag
2. Don't try to make your partner over
3. Don't criticize
4. Give honest appreciation
5. Pay little attentions
6. Be courteous
7. BE GENTLE 4
Most husbands do not find it necessary to list being courteous and gentle to their wives as a goal or a special effort. However, Charlie did sincerely struggle to control himself. Larry Fuess observed: ''Originally when he first got married he was like his father, subject to violence, but he had improved. He suppressed hostilities." 5
While he knew little about intimacy and normal demonstrations of love in a marital relationship, he did love Kathy. Other relationships and responsibilities caused more problems, and he compensated with a nice pretense. "Everybody is uptight when they go to school,

Charles Whitman at the University of
Texas. Prints and Photographs Collection,
CN06517,  The Center for American History,
The University of Texas at Austin.

 

Page 53
but Charles was really high strung. He really got uptight about things, courses and tests," commented a friend. 6 "Nice" became a mask that hid frustration and anger. As he came closer to a decision to surrender to his anger, the facade became larger and more unwieldy. He continued to chew his fingernails even though that habit bothered him because he considered it childish. "Charlie was like a computer. He would install his own values into a machine, then program the things he had to do, and out would come the results," said Larry Fuess. 7 And so, Charlie Whitman programmed himself to be nice.
Sometimes, however, Charlie suspended the acting and the nice front fell. Barton D. Riley, an architecture instructor and confidant of Charlie, related how Charlie lost his temper when he made a "C" on a project because he misunderstood the directions.
He hit the table with his fist and, without a word, just walked out. Charlie was used to excelling. He later came back and apologized and always in the future made certain he knew what I was talking about.
Larry Fuess remembered an incident where Charlie nearly got into a fight in the middle of the streets of Austin. Charlie and the driver of the car in front of them apparently aggravated each other enough for Charlie to have interpreted their exchange as a challenge. Larry, unaccustomed to public fighting, sat stunned as Charlie ripped off his rings and threw them on the dashboard of his car, then ran out of the car for an encounter on the street. To Larry's relief, the driver sped away. "I thought he wanted to get out; I was ready," Charlie said as he returned to his seat. 8
For the most part, however, Charlie continued to play the nice role. His teachers believed him to be more mature than most students his age, and his classmates liked him. "About all I can say is that the Charles I know is just a nice guy," claimed the wife of a friend. But Whitman also seemed to enjoy watching others squirm. On one occasion, Riley, a former military man, lost his temper with a classmate of Charlie's and gave him a military-style tongue lashing. Afterwards, he happened to look at Charlie and observed "the most contented grin on his face." 9 One of Charlie's more astute academic advisors described him as an "overstriver." He believed Charlie

 

Page 54
had to work harder to get what he wanted, and what he wanted was to surpass the accomplishments of his father. "He had hoped he would someday be able to financially, politically, and socially outdo me," said C. A. Whitman, claiming to quote from a letter written by his son. 10
Charlie spent an inordinate amount of time setting goals, making lists, and laboring over details. The bulk of his efforts at most endeavors consisted of thought and organization. Actual results and closure were rare. Minor setbacks bothered him immensely, mostly because he worked so hard. His architectural