It’s the trial of the century—at least in downtown Boston. Besides the century is still young.

You can’t get away from the stories about “Clark Rockefeller.” All the news stations give you a daily update. A Court TV truck appears to be permanently laminated to the bricks at City Hall Plaza, across the street from the Suffolk Superior Court, where the trial is taking place.

The story of the man who lived on Pinckney Street, deceived well-meaning friends, hoodwinked his business-savvy wife, is associated with a murder in California and kidnapped his daughter in the Back Bay is clearly destined for the movies.  Especially since it includes a fake big name, lots of cash being thrown around, fast car scenes and an up-market location. Who will play these friends, wife, daughter and Clark? I’m hoping Diane Keaton will play my part.

But the role might be too small for her. I met “Clark Rockefeller” only once when he took me to lunch at the Beacon Hill Bistro to describe a business plan. Whether he wanted me to join him in the business, give advice, or make an investment, it wasn’t clear. In fact, I couldn’t understand what the business was. So I decided that, though he seemed benign—and he paid for the lunch—I’d steer clear of him. After all, I’ve learned that people you can’t figure out are not ideal as friends. They confuse you, and life is hard enough even if you don’t have friends who drive you crazy.

So I didn’t get to know him well enough to determine if he was mentally ill, as his lawyers say, or just plain nuts.

But it turns out a lot of downtown Boston residents knew him. He had a group of Beacon Hill male friends he apparently hung out with. We all know men have extensive tolerance for other men if they can talk about the Red Sox, so maybe, if that’s what they talked about, no one in his chatting group thought much about his situation.

Neighbors also got acquainted with him. One said last week that she felt sorry for his wife, who seemed unhappy, and she too, thought that “Rockefeller” was hard to figure out. Several Rockefeller family members live in Boston and Cambridge, and people noticed he did not seem to be connected with them at all. And one does wonder how he supported himself until he found a sugar mommy to keep him in the style to which he wanted to become accustomed.

 “Rockefeller’s” former wife was on the stand last week, and all reports about her make her seem like a nice person, if a bit bewildered. But even after her sympathetic testimony, it’s still hard to understand why she went along with “Clark”. She said on the stand he was charming, fit and dressed nicely. Most men who are out to trick women are like that.

Didn’t she notice a red flag when he didn’t have a driver’s license? Or when it was clear he didn’t work? It took her 14 years to have a doubt? Love is blind, but nevertheless.

Maybe she was hearing the proverbial ticking clock and thought he would do. Maybe it was passion, although it’s a stretch to think that Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, which is like a caricature of a German name, is the new Brad Pitt. But “Mrs. Rockefeller” works for a consulting firm. She gives advice. I wonder what business types will think about that when they learn what her judgment was about her own husband. It’s saddest for her probably than any other local person.

The world, however, is filled with people whose judgment is shady. And you thought I might be talking about Republicans, but I’m not. Well, not completely.

I’m talking about the Boston police who are still considering carrying M16 rifles as if we live in a war zone. Even though they are doing terribly at quelling violence in some parts of the city, I thought most parts were relatively safe. And besides, it doesn’t seem as if toting an M16 would address the problems going on in Boston’s gang-infested neighborhoods.

And Sal DiMasi. It’s not just that he is another elected official accused of rigging the system. It’s that he allegedly risked his career and reputation for a measly $57,000. He was the guy representing half of downtown Boston. It’s embarrassing to us our state rep didn’t he think he was more valuable than that.

Or the people who keep tigers, alligators and other wild creatures as pets. We thought that mainly occurred among addled far-away Floridians, until we learned about the chimpanzee who mauled its owner’s friend in Connecticut. That’s too close for comfort.

Or the folks who feel the need for guns in national parks. What kind of people do the gun-toting folks hang around with that have scared them so much that they need their guns? Now, of course, the rest of us will have to avoid national parks, since the guy camping next to us could be packing, and apparently doesn’t know how to settle disagreements except with ammo.

Or the Congress, who are so afraid of the NRA that they are letting the gun nuts run their agenda.

So if “Clark Rockefeller” is deemed nuts, not mentally ill, he has a lot of company. Perhaps we all are one decision away from absurdity.