Have You Heard, Lately, From Someone You Haven’t Seen for 25 Years?
Right out “of the Blue”, you get a letter from an old colleague you’ve not seen in over a quarter century (No. This is not a made up stereotype):
“Dear XXX,
“I hope this finds you and (spouse) doing well. How long has it been…25 years?”
And, after the usual catching up on the writer’s family and adventures, and recalling the ‘old times’, the unexpected ‘voice from the past’, gets to the point:
“It’s 10:30 on a Monday night…sitting with the slider open, listening to ‘quiet classical’ on Wyoming NPR.
(Well, maybe not directly to the point immediately.)
“I’m enjoying a little ’15 year old Glenfiddich single malt’.
“It’s become my favorite ever since Trump banned Glenfiddich from his resorts because the distiller gave an award to someone Trump didn’t like. Trump is a vindictive son-of-a-bitch.
(Ah, I think we have now gotten to the point.)
“These are crazy times…not sure which is worse, Trump or Covid.”
The writer continues…a little ‘interlude to describe his ‘bird watching’ interests…”the Goldfinches, the orange Luzuli Buntings, the ‘black-headed Grosbeaks”, even the “Bullock Orioles”…the male ‘Bullock’, incidentally, is “bright orange with a black cape and throat”…
I am also regaled with his recounting of his new-found ‘passion’, fly fishing !:
“The solitude is wonderful”, he confesses,…”I make a point of whistling when I’m pushing through the willows.”
A little more about ‘the kids’ and their now-‘grown-up’ accomplishments, challenges, and adventures.
Then, back to the writer’s obvious purpose in reestablishing contact with his ‘old friend’…that would be, me.
The writer notes that he’s been reading up on ‘great leaders in our country’s history’, their biographies:
“Truman, FDR, Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln, Nimitz…the contrast with the current White House occupant could not be greater”, he reports.
“How did this country that produced them”, he asks, “choose an incompetent narcissist as president?”
Trump, he declares, “will anchor the list..(of worst US presidents)..for all eternity!”
My “old friend’s” affection for Trump is scattered throughout the text of his 6 page letter: ‘a disgrace”, “pathological”, a “carnival barker”, “Don the Con”.
“The day he is indicted should be declared a national holiday…or maybe the day he is convicted for tax fraud, insurance fraud, campaign violations…”
Then, the writer seems to pull himself together as he finishes his note: “Again, I hope you and your family are doing well; stay safe…”, he concludes.
This summary hardly scratches the surface as to how deeply my ‘friend’ despises President Trump.
In a brief response to his letter, I made a few observations of my own.
Naturally, I expressed my surprise, delight and gratitude for his ‘thoughtfulness’ in updating me on his current family and personal circumstances after all these years.
I indicated, however that I sensed that his real and motivating intention had more to do with ‘current political events’ than any long bygone personal bonds he might feel.
I further indicated that it seemed almost like part of an organized effort to do little more than reach out to former colleagues, friends, neighbors and acquaintances in an attempt to do little more than ‘not-too-gently’ dissuade possible supporters and/or voters of the current president, Donald J. Trump.
I noted his letter seemed to suggest I am, or that I could be persuaded. to become, more ‘in sync’ with his ‘analysis’.
I demurred on the possibility of further dialogue, noting that “I see little upside to debating you on this topic. Nor do I foresee a willingness on your part to concede that Barack Obama was one of, if not, THE, most divisive and destructive presidents in US history”.
But, I concluded with “wishing him and his family ‘all the best “.
————————-
The point in sharing this moment is:
1) to alert readers that, in the next several weeks, or few months, they may be hearing from lifelong or ‘new converts’ to liberalism… neighbors or colleagues from long ago, whom they’ve not heard from in many years.
2) the writer of this letter is now a resident in one of the more affluent, and most liberal cities in the middle west.
3) His note and its tone suggests that fellow liberals in his community at least, over Chablis or perhaps Glenfiddich, and French brie, have hit upon a strategy ‘to do their part’ in ridding the nation of the ‘evils’ of the Trump presidency.
Coming soon to your neighborhood(?) dlh
