My little town is losing an excellent police chief to retirement, just as I was getting to know what a rare find he is. If you're familiar with the true story on which the 1991 movie "Rush" was loosely based, he's the straight arrow cop who was brought in to clean up the mess after the two undercover cops flamed out and went to prison. Their original police chief was acquitted of evidence-rigging upon testifying he had no idea what they'd been up to, but after acquittal he was quietly chased off. So my currently outgoing police chief stepped in to straighten things out under more than usually fraught circumstances. Not too long after that he came down to my neck of the woods and ran our police department for several decades.
Last night's retirement party was in minor part a study in local politics, as revealed by the presence of a certain contingent and the absence of another. All that political tension largely faded into the background, though, as a group of very old loyal friends and family enjoyed each other's company and honored the chief. He has three grown sons who I imagine to be much like Cassandra's boys. Something about the chief and his wife also put me in mind of Cassandra and her husband--what was it she used to call him? The Unit? The young men gave some extremely touching tributes to their parents. At first I thought, "What a fine father he must have been to raise those sons." Then I met his wife and realized she was equally extraordinary, so I found myself thinking, "You don't get sons like that by accident, even if your husband is a superb father." Many of those present were the solid core of the local Baptist Church. I knew it must be an amazing congregation from the central role it has played in coordinating volunteer storm relief over the last 18 months. Now I can see more clearly what they have going for them. These people's love of God goes right down into their bones.
I have spent too much time lately in the "mean-girls" atmosphere of small-town political intrigue. I meet people who sound like they'll be reliable comrades in arms and others who obviously can't be bothered or relied on. This party made me realize there's a big society out there to be met and cherished. These are people who will know what's right and stand up for it. They don't give off the signals that are so familiar to me from my law firm days, or even from some of the more unpleasant local political gatherings, that everyone is faintly drunk and wondering, upon meeting me, whether it's to their advantage to be nice to me. They're just good people, exhibiting warmth, and ready to get to know anyone they sense will behave well and stick up for what's right. It will be an honor to serve them and be their voice.
2 comments:
...what was it she used to call him? The Unit?
Yes, “the Spousal Unit.” I never met him, though we were in Iraq at the same time; nor did I meet her son, though we were in Athens at the same time and a friend of his was a Boy Scout troop leader I accompanied on some hiking and camping trips. Just never quite worked out.
We get so wrapped up in the media hype and blown up turmoil of the day, and the Twitterverse and all it's sibling environments, and forget sometimes that there are good people out there making things run (seems they always do, doesn't it?), and simply loving their neighbors as commanded. It's good to have these reminders from time to time, because we know which sort of people are louder and make themselves known more, and which do not.
Here's to the quiet heart of our civilization.
Post a Comment