Truth Justice and the American Way

I had a lunch appointment with my buddy Duane today.
He could not make it and called be about an hour
before to advise me that he would not be able to keep
the appointment.  I cannot say that I am surprised.
This is about the fifth time we have had to cancel our
appointment.  I am beginning to think I have bad
breath or something.   I mean, I know this guy is
busy, he is a Deputy Director  of some state office
but I thought these hot shots hand more control over
their time the Duane seems to.

But Duane’s a good guy and I have learned a lot from
him not only in how state politics work at the “higher
levels”  but how to manage your  state career. I first
met Duane when I was working as a resource coordinator
for the local independent living center. Duane was
director of project affiliated with the local
rehabilitation program.  Duane tended to the young,
“shave your head” plus( insert the appropriate
expensive sun glasses) tough guy administrator.  He
played the part so well he forgot that he actually
worked for rehabilitation and really started pushing
the agenda of people with disabilities and
specifically  independent living. I think Duane got
caught in the cross fire of an organizational
firefight. I am not sure what really happened but all
the sudden my man was resigning from his I.L. post via
the state rehabilitation office.  Very interesting.  I
was actually surprised to see how much power the guy
had.

I got to know him right after he started showing up at
the ILC to meet with administration.  He rest of the
staff seemed to associate him with power-I just could
not see it.  I just happened to be chair of a
committee he sat on regarding assistive technology.
We now could justify lunch and we started having our
lunch dates. I was fascinated at how “the other half”
lives and works. As a state hot shot he made real
money, real stress and real dreams.  His world was
complicated filled with god guys and bad guys.  I am
disabled so I think I was sort of neutral in Duane’s
view of the world.  The fact that I sort of kept
rattling his cage I think intrigued him. So, later
when something did happen in the lofty battlefields of
administration and this young prince saw fit to take
his leave I thought this would be the end of our
relationship. Well, not so.   I crossed his path a few
months after he had dropped of the “radar”.  Wow, in
the new position he has real power, real quotes in the
local press and “news at nine” opps.  Duane is the
same old Duane he is a bit of a maverick at the level
of government he serves. He is a sucker for the
“little guy”. I think he sees himself as a cross
between Bogart and Bond and as protector of those who
cannot protect themselves. If he can stand the “soup”
I see Duane rising even higher in local government. I
do not know if this is necessarily good but I expect
his onboard moral compass will click in lead him away
from organized politics,  back to the real Duane, a
black bandanna wearing,  individualist seeking truth,
justice and the American way

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