Been waiting for this day since 2008. The week between Christmas and New Years. The day you stormed into my office, tore down my posters from the wall, told me I was fired and had twenty minutes to vacate the premises, and thrust a letter in front of me saying I had resigned and told me to sign it only to have Rich Puffer (one of the REAL good guys) tell me not to sign it b/c I wouldn’t be eligible for unemployment benefits if I did. I will never forget the glee you took in proving what a powerful person you were. I remember our brief conversation:
Me: I thought I was doing a good job.
You: This will be a learning experience for you.
I had to drive to New Jersey to pick up my kids and their friends at a Young Friends Quaker Meeting Retreat. Couldn’t let the fact that I no longer had a job effect me. Kept it to myself and got through it. Got home and pretty much broke down. What followed were the worst six months or so of my life. Oh, did I mention that you neglected to do your job and didn’t tell me that I was entitled to my legislative pension and here’s who I should see? I have now.
Blogging for Delaware Liberal and, more importantly, meeting a group of people there who were supportive really helped me. Not to mention, I had, and have, the best wife in the world, and she stuck by me. It wasn’t all bad–got to do a radio show with Al Mascitti, got the best imaginable post-career gig at Trader Joe’s. My TJ’s peeps were and are the best. Do you know who they remind me of, Val? The people who were my friends and fellow staff down in Dover. The likes of whom you subsequently fired many times over. Because you could. Great people. You didn’t care.
Val, you might be interested to know that, all of your various and sundry misdeeds over the years? I went back and turned them into something like a 25-page oppo research document for the campaign that ultimately did you in. It was the kind of campaign you could never run–because it consisted of a core of grassroots volunteers, all with their own reasons, dedicated to electing Kamela Smith. You know, Val–Kamala/Kamela. Betcha you’ve heard that more times than you care to recount.
The biggest difference between you and Kam? Kam is an empath, she is genuinely concerned about people, and has spent her career helping them to get the mental health services they deserve. As opposed to your repackaging yourself as the Champion Of Mental Health Reform. A bad joke, especially to all of those people who succeeded me on your Firing Line. Turns out I was just the canary in the coalmine, many more would follow.
On Day One, Kam will begin to do more for those who need those services than your grandstanding ever did. She cares about people who need help, and knows how to help them. You never cared about anyone’s mental health because the only person you ever cared about was you.
I’m sure you feel sad about yesterday’s loss. Allow me to try to place it in context:
This will be a learning experience for you.
Been saving up this song just in case this day ever came:
