Not That Rare

Things I miss from the campaign….

 

·         No parades, door to door canvassing or picnics. I come to work each day, sit down at a desk, answer phones and write letters. Since that fateful Tuesday last November I’ve gained twelve pounds, and I desperately need a leaflet drop in the hilliest part of Sandy.  

·         No Julie McAdams… in fact, the entire McAdams family have resumed their normal everyday lives. So James, Kate, Robert, Isaac, Susan, Jackie etc. etc. have become a rarity. Their presence gave the campaign a sense of being conducted from the McAdams kitchen table.  Our headquarters had the taste of warm home cooked food, and I miss that.

·         No volunteers. Our staff is filled with people of tremendous intelligence and great experience - I admire them all. But there was something beautiful about the company of work-a-day people who made telephone calls, walked door to door, and pasted fans together simply because they loved Ben McAdams, and they trusted the democratic process.  

·         No suspense. During the campaign I had a sense early on that magic could happen, and we could win. But it was never a sure thing, and even back in February Election Day seemed like it was scheduled for tomorrow. We had a few months to create our version of the future, or watch every effort disappear in smoke. That made life a good deal more vivid.  

 

Things I enjoy about being in county government….

·         We’ve all heard gripes about the absence of a stop sign, or the need for a children’s program and responded by joining in the complaint… “Yeah, isn’t it awful? Why can’t they fix that?” Well, now, I can hear someone make such a complaint and say, “Sure, we can fix that, give me your phone number. I’ll call you tomorrow.” (Fess up, what would you give to say that, just once?)

·         I love to write, and I love to learn new things. Because I have a flair for putting words together, and I enjoy Ben’s kind regards, I spend my days writing to CEO’s, 102 year old women, law professors and bereaved mothers. I write about Brigham Young, botanical gardens, bereaved mothers and bicycles. For me, this is a dream come true.

·         Imagine being a fan of Ben Kingsley, Ben Hogan or Ben Franklin… any Ben of your choosing. Then one day you’re told that Ben wants you to have a back stage pass, it will last for four years, and it comes with a salary.

·         One more thing could be added to the end of either list. It’s the simple joy of being in the company of people I deeply respect, and who deserve my affection. For all the differences between the campaign, and my new role in county government, that one thing has remained the same. Hang around Ben long enough and you’ll start to believe that wonderful people just aren’t that rare.