A Short Sighted Friend

While walking with a woman I have known for over 30 years, who is also the wife of a retired State Senator, I was amazed at her vision. I have another 30 year friend, Gene, born a thalidomide baby, who I refer to as my “resident repairman”, because he never refuses to come to my rescue when something breaks. Gene, by most standards would be considered deformed although someone forgot to make him aware of that. He is the most amazing man I have ever known, he should not be able to do the things he can, but he does them anyway.

Now back to my walk with the Senator’s wife, who during our conversation this morning expressed her displeasure with Gene. What’s wrong I asked? Her answer was that he had at some time made negative remarks about the Senator. She went on to say, “Nobody better run down my husband!” I personally have never heard Gene run down anyone and besides the Senator had been in office for 35 years. It is very possible he found more than one person who disagreed with his decisions! It is a free country after all.

I thought about this incident all morning and realized that it went along with a comment made by a blog follower to my last post (Count Your Friends). I found it hard to believe the Senator’s wife could be so short sighted about a wonderful soul who has spent his life as a role model for those whose mantra is “I can’t do that”.