Aselin

This summer I was able to attend my 20th High School reunion. Unfortunately, few of the players had changed much. While it was finally legal for everyone to drink, few of them were tempered by this news.

Upon seeing me, our illustrious student body president asked me to be his Designated Driver. I’ve been the Designated Driver for years. It’s allowed me to assume a false sense of popularity. I get invited to attend way more things that I would if I were a drinker and apparently I become much more interesting the more drinks others have. Just ask my parents.

My former President definitely needed a Designated Driver, and it was quite responsible of him to arrange for one. While driving the Former President to an after party he slobbered that I was “good people.” “Well, thank you” I replied wincing from his 90 proof breath. Then he began to ask about a series of other classmates: “Do you think Fred is good people?” “Do you think Sally is good people?”

As I tried to answer each inebriated question, I was affirmed “You’re right!” and chastised “You don’t know anything!” Mr. President is absolutely correct. I’m a terrible judge of people, I always take them at face value. I don’t have the initiative to figure out agendas, intents, ulterior motives. I have been known to miss things the savvier among us pick up with ease.

Right now I am reading Obama’s “favorite” book Team of Rivals which covers the “political genius of Abraham Lincoln.” The back cover lauds that this “biography is centered on Lincoln’s mastery of men...” I’m about a third of the way into it and he does seem to be a ‘managerial genius.’

Reading this book has made me consider that I really don’t have any outstanding political capital. I don’t have any favors I can call in. No one owes me. I often do stuff for free, for no apparent reason. I’ve helped people pack, move, taken care of pets, watched kids. I’ve given speeches, cleaned garages, organized offices, input data, driven drunks...I really have a tremendous skill set if you want the work for free. By some standards it would seem I’ve been abused.

The funny thing is I don’t remotely feel taken advantage of. I find great peace in not keeping score. I find greater peace in the fact that tomorrow is another day, and if you weren’t ‘good people’ today I have great hope for your tomorrow.