I have to confess I've been less than scintillating in these journals the past couple of weeks, Bush, and less regular and reliable than I've usually tried to be. The truth is, this bug I caught somewhere along the way, and which I took with me to Mexico City, has kept on lingering well past its welcome. This morning early I was prevailed upon by Ellie to call the hospital, and I'm headed off a little later for a medical appointment just to check things out. Feeling light-headed, heart going a bit too fast, congestion, general weakness, fatigue, along with a devastating lack of motivation.
All of which is to announce, with apologies, that I'm giving you short shrift again today. I'll just say this: I saw you with your arm around that lad afflicted with autism--the one who did the miracle basketball shots and touched the hearts of so many, including your good self. (You said you saw the story on television, and you wept. Good for you.) And I admit it, Bush, I wanted to believe that this was the true Bush I saw, a good-hearted man with compassion for the sick and the less fortunate among us. But at the same time, there was that part of me that scoffed and said this was nothing more than a cynical political act dreamed up by your White House hacks, a photo op to show yourself to be a good-hearted man with compassion for the sick and the less fortunate among us.
You might attribute this to a nasty, mistrustful, cynical nature, but I insist that I'm really a trusting soul, always ready to believe the best of anyone. As I see it, the reason these less than charitable thoughts arise is because in your case that trust has been betrayed. A shame. Because lurking somewhere far behind what the political hacks and the corporate users have created I really do see the good, plain-spoken, simple and compassionate man in you. As I've said many times before, I'm not a Bush-basher. I just have to wonder, where did that man go?
About Me
- Peter Clothier
- Born and raised in the UK, lives in Los Angeles, California. A writer about art and artists, essayist, social observer, daily meditator and student of the Buddhist dharma.. and a long-time recovering academic. Happily out of a "job" since 1986--but "works" every day. Father to three great kids (why don't we have a proper word for, um, middle-aged "children"?) and grandfather to four wonderful grandchildren. Even after all these years in America, he still speaks English.
3 comments:
Pk: Read your comment. We must remember, our's is not a democracy, it is a republic. Democracy is still a dream. Democracy is a word the new aristocracy uses to try and fool the little people, all the 'Bushwacks' out there. And it works well, as they take our money and shove it into their pockets. It's a clever irony.
Sorry to hear you haven't recouped yet, Peter. I always beat it with tons of fresh garlic, minimum of 3 cloves twice daily, cooked, so as not to offend, of course.
Yes, but even the republic, for which we stood, isn't there anymore, but in the mind. Bush is going 'piffle' to everything we stood for. And as the world watches, they say the same to us now, 'piffle'! The do as I say, not as I do, isn't working anymore. It's going to be a bumpy ride my friend, a bumpy ride.
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