Karen Kilgariff

Francine will later explain her decision, saying, quote, I really felt trapped after this accident. I don't know why I felt so obligated to that man, but I did. Then the real hell began.

Francine will later explain her decision, saying, quote, I really felt trapped after this accident. I don't know why I felt so obligated to that man, but I did. Then the real hell began.

Right. It's like you saw the Twilight Zone movie, right, from the 80s? Which one? Yeah. It's the one that was like it was an anthology. So it was a bunch of different little mini movies and one big movie. But there's a part that's like there's a racist that's being racist and like yelling slurs.

Right. It's like you saw the Twilight Zone movie, right, from the 80s? Which one? Yeah. It's the one that was like it was an anthology. So it was a bunch of different little mini movies and one big movie. But there's a part that's like there's a racist that's being racist and like yelling slurs.

And then he off of the slur, he says to someone is immediately dropped into the situation where that person of the slur, he is that person going through the worst of what that group of people went through. And it is mind blowing. And it's that kind of thing where it's like it would be a great. hologram to send someone. Yeah. It's like, oh, is that your question? Go find out yourself. Totally.

And then he off of the slur, he says to someone is immediately dropped into the situation where that person of the slur, he is that person going through the worst of what that group of people went through. And it is mind blowing. And it's that kind of thing where it's like it would be a great. hologram to send someone. Yeah. It's like, oh, is that your question? Go find out yourself. Totally.

So the problem is Mickey is recovering from his car accident, drinking more than ever. The abuse toward Francine becomes more frequent. He beats her multiple times a week, sometimes for hours at a time in between his trips to the bar.

So the problem is Mickey is recovering from his car accident, drinking more than ever. The abuse toward Francine becomes more frequent. He beats her multiple times a week, sometimes for hours at a time in between his trips to the bar.

She remembers how a few peaceful days would pass here and there, and then she'd live in terror of going to sleep at night when he wasn't there because, quote, I might wake up being slugged. Jesus Christ. Here's another quote from her. Francine says, quote, I thought, well, maybe I could kill myself. But then I thought, if I kill myself, who's going to take care of the kids?

She remembers how a few peaceful days would pass here and there, and then she'd live in terror of going to sleep at night when he wasn't there because, quote, I might wake up being slugged. Jesus Christ. Here's another quote from her. Francine says, quote, I thought, well, maybe I could kill myself. But then I thought, if I kill myself, who's going to take care of the kids?

Nobody could love them like me. I would conjure up schemes about how I would sneak off to the airport with the kids and just leave, quote, but I would picture us sitting on a park bench with nowhere to go. Then I would get scared thinking about what Mickey would do if he found me. So several years go by.

Nobody could love them like me. I would conjure up schemes about how I would sneak off to the airport with the kids and just leave, quote, but I would picture us sitting on a park bench with nowhere to go. Then I would get scared thinking about what Mickey would do if he found me. So several years go by.

And then in 1977, when Francine is now just 29 years old, she's subjected to one of Mickey's worst assaults after he learns that she is enrolled in classes to become a secretary. Wow. He forces her to burn her school books in the yard and threatens to sledgehammer the car so she can't get to school. So he just loses it. Yeah.

And then in 1977, when Francine is now just 29 years old, she's subjected to one of Mickey's worst assaults after he learns that she is enrolled in classes to become a secretary. Wow. He forces her to burn her school books in the yard and threatens to sledgehammer the car so she can't get to school. So he just loses it. Yeah.

That same night, Francine prepares microwave dinners for the family, but Mickey isn't happy. So this is the scene I can literally see in my head from when I was 14 years old. Because it's kind of like they don't spend a ton of time in the back and forth of like the growing abuse thing. It's kind of like you get what's happening. They do it. It's so realistic.

That same night, Francine prepares microwave dinners for the family, but Mickey isn't happy. So this is the scene I can literally see in my head from when I was 14 years old. Because it's kind of like they don't spend a ton of time in the back and forth of like the growing abuse thing. It's kind of like you get what's happening. They do it. It's so realistic.

And basically it's that scene where she microwaves these dinners and puts them out and he's drunk and he doesn't like it. And then it's like somebody filmed a real domestic abuse situation and put it on television. It was that wild and graphic and horrifying and like nothing... They didn't pretty it up. They didn't cut away. It was unbelievable and really scary. So this is what he does.

And basically it's that scene where she microwaves these dinners and puts them out and he's drunk and he doesn't like it. And then it's like somebody filmed a real domestic abuse situation and put it on television. It was that wild and graphic and horrifying and like nothing... They didn't pretty it up. They didn't cut away. It was unbelievable and really scary. So this is what he does.

He dumps the meals from their containers onto the floor. He slams his fist so hard on the table. One of his kids' glasses of milk spills and breaks on the floor. Then of course, right, that's the, there we go. Kids are sent upstairs as Francine is trying to clean up this mess. Mickey removes garbage from the garbage can and starts to smear it into her hair. And then he begins beating her.

He dumps the meals from their containers onto the floor. He slams his fist so hard on the table. One of his kids' glasses of milk spills and breaks on the floor. Then of course, right, that's the, there we go. Kids are sent upstairs as Francine is trying to clean up this mess. Mickey removes garbage from the garbage can and starts to smear it into her hair. And then he begins beating her.