Chapter 4: The Green Family

Checking the time on his phone, Daniel was reassured that he would be home before 5:00. Daniel’s father, Franklin “Frank” Green, was given to anxiety attacks when Daniel was late or unaccounted for.

The Green boys, Daniel (20) and little brother Jacob (16), were motherless after the death of Frank’s wife Lauren in a terrible traffic accident four years past. An out-of-service SEPTA bus was returning to base at the end of the driver’s shift. He apparently lost consciousness, ran through a red light, t-boned Lauren’s car, and the bus and car slammed into the side of a multi-story building. Both the bus driver and Lauren were killed instantly.

An independent investigation full of jargon and legalese confirmed that the “operator” of the “coach” was not affected by alcohol or drugs, but he had secretly covered another operator’s shift. So, he was in his 16th hour of driving that day. Lax oversight at the base permitted this dangerous but frequent practice.

SEPTA settled with the Greens for six million dollars, two million each to Jacob, Daniel, and Frank. The boys’ money was in kept in trusts; as minors they had a small draw of $200 per month (each) to help with household expenses. At 18 the monthly stipend increased to $2,000 per month, so Daniel had plenty of spending money considering he still lived at home with his father and brother.

Frank still grieved the sudden loss of his wife. And this was why Daniel was careful to be home when expected, to avoid agitating his father. Jacob was also upset when Frank’s anxiety spilled out. It was better for everyone when Daniel was “Mr. Predictable,” getting home on time.