“Mr. Dancy” ……. “Eeeeaaaassssttttt SSSSiiiiiddddddeee!”
“Mr. Alexander” …. “present”.
I really love Freddy, I’m glad I ran into him a few weeks ago at the opening of the new Loomis park. I never got very close personally with any council members, I didn’t feel that was appropriate, though after some of the issues we went through, bonds were made. And well… Freddie and I do like to eat breakfast at Candy’s BZB, and met up from time to time.
Not just Freddie an I either, Craig, Colleen, Will, Arlene… even Derek, those are all relationships that grew to be precious to me- memories I choose to keep. A qualified component answer on any political issue, Craig. A prepared speech crafted to pull support, Colleen. Community building with petitions and paperwork, Will. A long history where personal relationships abound, Arlene. And Derek, oh Derek.
Somewhere, in what some describe as his “political ambitions”, I’ve started to wonder if he really isn’t just devoted to building up our little city, and well, someone has to lead. His skill, somehow with a piece of each of the previous five, likely is to learn well from others – hmm, I wonder if I left him with a piece of me?
Freddy though, that man is hard to follow. Which, honestly, is probably the reason I was always so glad to sit side by side with him. He was there before me and stayed after, yet to tell the truth, I think he’s ready to leave. He’s done better than most other councilmember in the last eight years. And with his experiences growing over this time, he is likely still the best man for the job. Yet, I do think he’s getting tired. Yet as well loved as he is and as much a dedicated servant as he was to put himself back on the ballot, I’m afraid the people won’t let him go.
And that is why I feel bad for Peter, he’s got an uphill battle to win a seat and give relief to our then-previous representative. Uphill, it always is for a first time guy. However, he’s got more than a few tricks up his sleeve. See, he’s got one trick that tops even Derek’s gift, Peter likes to read. Code books, ordinances, state law and federal statutes, and lawsuit briefs by the plenty. Not to mention poetry books.
Past that, he’s what I call a naturalist, he respects the earth and it’s water. Those things are priorities and he’ll fight to defend them, and that is honorable. However, he does have a downside. He has a very thick wall. Some call him gruff, some call him worse, I’d heard more than a few stories by the time I sat down with him. Met for lunch at the Town Bar, and he came prepared with copies of some pages he wanted me to read. Just in case I didn’t, he also had a well-prepared verbal defense for his arguments.
“Arguments” in the good sense of the word, Peter is a very intelligent man. However, he needs to be more open with his personality. See, I have a lot of favorite stories, almost always when I meet real people, like Terry, Jimi, or Cliff. My first favorite story was the doctor of course (sorry I had to sue!) See, it’s easy to see people, they’re everywhere- yet, that is not what I mean. I like to meet people, just one person at a time.
There is something special about people, each of them: a unique personality. With a touch of patience and calm, Peter, I do know will rise to the occasion of service when he is called. I look forward actually (sorry Freddie,) because I know how he will treat people, as well as he did me.
Most people might call him an atheist, yet he does have a set of his own beliefs. A Shaman (if I recall correctly, I’m sorry if I’m wrong,) and one disciplined well to accept other world beliefs. Like me, a Christain. I’m a bit quieter about it now, when first elected I still wore my three-inch cross wherever I went- I hadn’t taken if off for years. That didn’t stop him from contacting me and treating me as an equal.
One story though; one I thought I’d never tell. He touched me one day last year, a real bad day too if I recall. Life was hard, breathing, moving, eating. Three times per month, I had to shower, dress, and show up at a meeting and do my best to honor my oath. Almost a dozen colleagues, and only two or three ever looked and maybe saw me. Ray took me out to lunch one day, an ardent campaigner, knowing all the tricks of that trade (networking comes with real estate, almost always a package deal.)
And Tony, God loves that man, He must, most of the rest of board won’t. (And Tony was right, Phil doesn’t follow the rules.) Maybe my seventh or eight meeting, by the end of my second month home. See, when dressing is hard, or to even get out of bed, somethings just fall behind, they become Fiction in your new reality. Laundry, cleaning, society. Many such things we think of as necessities, and so many just are not.
My colleagues were great, a monthly nice lunch to socialize- yet, I’m not sure who they saw, it almost certainly wasn’t me. If they did, they never let me know. Peter though, he is bold. When the time is right, so is he- a perfect solution for election night.
See, for all I knew, I always thought he was just political. Sure, he met with me, I was on the side of water rights and a vote, oh no, it was an email he wanted me to send. Although I paid him my attention, he did not win that argument (again, that word in the good way,) and at the end, we parted, friends. I just didn’t know yet, he keeps these things pretty secretively.
I found out that day, another gift he has – from across the room, he saw my personality. Later that day after I had struggled to get home, in whatever mobility solution I was using at the time (it was always a struggle, beds, chairs, walkers, even the electric wheelchair.) Later that day, or maybe the next morning- whenever I opened my County email next, I had an email from Peter, straight from his soul to mine.
I don’t have access to that email account to copy and paste, really though, I’d rather paraphrase (I suppose you could FOIA it.) Short and simple, bold and personal. “Jeromy, you might want to buy some more white t-shirts. Sorry, if I’m out of place.”
I guess it’s hard to describe, yet the very moment I received that email; I needed someone to see me.
I love Freddy and I swear to his service, certainly much better than mine. Yet, these things come and go and I feel that that it’s time for him to rest; a parade should be thrown, though it won’t… I think I will buy him breakfast next time I see him.
People, be nice to Peter. Ask him your questions, and give him a moment to get his thoughts straight – talking to the public is no easy job, and he’s not close to perfect either, none of us really are- yet, he’s got that special something, a gift to look and see YOU.
Then we can all feel bad for him for the next several years, Freddie is a hard act to follow.
PS. “Hard to follow” began as the title because I liked yesterdays post so much I didn’t know what to right next.
Oh, my day! A massage! OMG, best one in so long- the older lady with the elbows. Twenty minutes face down with her pulverizing my left rump. I walked out feeling good! So good, I tipped! And I finally fixed another new old problem, apparently, my left leg has shrunk, a new pair of shoe inserts and the right one thown away immediately. Groceries and a walk with a cart, so nice. Then back home for lunch, dinner, several more hours of USFJ arguments, and have finished my debrief, tomorrow: colleseum screenshots.
Time to rest.