Kristal Bentley Waterson was born on March 23, 1978, to Michael and
Virginia Waterson.
Virginia Clark Waterson met her future husband while selling him an upscale vehicle. Two
months later, Michael and Virginia were married in a private ceremony in Washington DC. That day,
Michael announced the marriage had occurred three months previously and the couple continues to
throw a lavish anniversary party to celebrate the fictitious date. Kristi was born only seven
months after the actual event.
Experts in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi, who
commented on the condition of strict anonymity, noted that Michael
Waterson, using his family's oil money, has brokered political elections at
local, state, and national levels. They also noted that Waterson’s
power-wielding has earned him many enemies, although there is no public record
of vocal opposition to Waterson or his influence in any recent
history commentaries on Mississippi politics.
One of the few people willing to answer questions about Kristi's early life is a teacher who
changed an "Unsatisfactory" grade to "Exceeds
expectations" and a "Needs work in social skills" to a
"Plays well with others." Only after a guarantee of anonymity did
the teacher describe the experience.
"Kristi was a charming child. Based on things I'd heard in the teacher's cafeteria, I thought she'd be a spoiled brat, but instead I
found her to be a little lost. She
had trouble relating to her classmates. She tried to
ingratiate herself with the kids who taunted her the most. After report cards
went out for the first quarter, her father came to me to ask what we could do
about one of Kristi's scores. We finally agreed that he would donate a
much-needed playground the school so that his daughter could improve her social
skills."
As a high school junior, Kristi confessed to her friends that she
was having an improper relationship with
her high school advisor, Mr. Jack Aston. It is unknown how word
reached her father, but no charges were filed.
Aston, now a forest ranger in Nebraska, still
claims that Kristi was the aggressor, not that he excuses his behavior.
"Kristi was starved for attention and approval. Or disapproval.
Discipline. She liked that, wanted more of it. When we started leaving visible
bruises, that's when I called it quits. She told her father that I'd made
advances and he relocated me here before the situation had a chance to go
public."
After high school, Kristi was admitted to the University of Mississippi.
She was
accepted to the school, although a review of her application on file finds it unsigned.
She received a bachelor's degree in political science and then an MBA, earning poor grades. Few students remember her attending classes,
and one roommate said she never saw her Kristi once during the semester they
supposedly shared a room.
At the same time, the University announced it had received an "exceptionally generous
contribution from an anonymous but eminently respected benefactor."
After Kristi graduated, she was offered an instructor position in the Business Administration
School. She accepted the job two weeks later.
At about this time, the creation of the "Waterson Endowment for the Study and
Advancement of Business Development in the South" was announced. The
University did not release the amount of the endowment. It was noted, however,
that new carpeting, executive furniture, and a cutting edge technology computer
system were all installed in the Business School the following week.
Kristi's corner, window office was included in the renovation.
Among students who either have taken her class or have heard of
her, Kristi is rumored to have graded her students' work easily, canceled class quickly
on sunny days, and possibly to have engaged in
inappropriate behavior with her male students. Rumors also circulated that Kristi
was "a little kinky."
Her mode of dress was characterized by two UM Instructors, who
demanded to speak off the record, as "somewhat
provocative," and by several male students, who also wished to remain nameless,
as "real hot."
The few times she appeared at school functions, she did so "reeking of bourbon"
according to Nora Percy, a fellow instructor. John Brewer, head of Kristi’s
department, says he was not able to produce any evidence that Kristi had a
drinking problem. Brewer said that any other complaints about Kristi had been
"resolved satisfactorily."
Michelle Prescott, Kristi's roommate and cousin, said, "Kristi wrecked cars, caused scenes, did anything she could to get
noticed. The more she did, however, the more people looked away. Her father's
money saw to that."
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