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| President at a Toledo Diner |
As you know Buck has not been happy with the political developments of the last few years and has failed to enjoy his breakfast because he has been engaged in a political tirade. With his health and blood pressure in mind, I tried to steer the conversation to golf, a gentleman's game that we have both desecrated. I asked, "Did you by chance see the final round of the Deutsche Bank Tournament on Labor Day?"
"Of course, I saw it. I certainly was not going to watch another interminable baseball game in an interminable season. Professional baseball is committing suicide and doesn't even know it."
"Okay, what about the US Open Tennis Tournament," I suggested. "Don't tell me you don't enjoy women in skimpy outfits running around on a tennis court."
" In the past I spent a good deal of time watching the girls play, but somewhere along the way they began to screech every time they hit the ball. I don't need that. If I did, I could sit in the back yard and listen to my neighbor's wife screech....and not be interrupted by commercials."
"But back to golf, did you enjoy watching Rory McIllroy win?" I asked.
"He's a good kid. I appreciate it that he personally goes to help the disadvantaged in the Domicican Republic That's nice. But the poor boy is from Northern Ireland, you know."
"You have a problem with that?"
"No, no just pointing it out ........for your education."
"Thanks," I said, as our favorite waitress, Sara, approached to take our orders.
With a deep bow and a flourish of her order pad, she asked, "And what will I have the pleasure of serving you two distinguished gentlemen this morning?"
"Okay," I asked . "Who are you and what did you do with the real Sara's body?"
"My dear sirs, the real Sara served President Obama and his guests on Labor Day, and today it is my pleasure to serve you two.........whatever you call yourselves."
"'Distinguished gentlemen' is fine," Buck said. "And by the way, where did President Obama sit for lunch?'
"At this very table and in the very same chair you are sitting in."
"Damn, this is the president's chair?"
"Yes. sir!"
Buck couldn't resist, "What did Obama order?"
Sara picked up a bread knife. "It's a state secret. If I told you, I would have to kill the both of you," she said as she waved the knife in front of Buck's face."
"Sara," I suggested. "I think you've been working here too long. Maybe it's time to graduate and move on."
"Hey, I served the President of the United States. I don't have to take any sh......abuse from you guys."
"Whoa, hold on there,Sara," Buck said. "We're on your side. Don't let my friend here upset you. You realize, I'm sure, he doesn't have my savoir faire."
"Hey, I need your orders. I have other loyal customers to take care of."
After we ordered and Sara disappeared into the back room, Buck asked, "Did you get one of those damn robo-calls from Paul Ryan?"
"No, I doubt I'm on that list."
"I'd like to get off of it. I've been a Republican all my life, but I have serious doubts about Romney and Ryan. Candidates who are willing to lie during the campaign should not be elected. In this robo-call today, Paul Ryan said: 'Obama is raiding $716 billion from Medicare, changing the program forever.' How many times have independent sources pointed out that this is a lie? Obamacare is projected to save that much money by eliminating inefficiencies. And Ryan is the guy who has spent a political career attacking Medicare and other social programs. Now, all of sudden, he is acting like he wants to save it. Give me a break."
"Well, Romney and the Republicans knew what they were going to get when they chose him. He always was a follower of Ayn Rand and her philosophy of the economic survival of the fit. "
"It's not just his philosophy, although I disagree with it," Buck continued. "It's the blatant lies. Did you hear his speech at the Convention in Tampa. Almost every paper in the country identified five or six blatant lies in it. He was hypocritical enough to blame the President for the nation's credit downgrade in 2011.In fact the downgrade came about because he and the Republicans were threatening to default on our debt."
" I did read his speech," I said, "and I know he was flat-out wrong about President Obama closing a GM plant in Wisconsin. First of all, contrary to what Paul said, Obama never promised to keep it open, and secondly, the plant was closed when George W. Bush was president. I guess that makes two lies in one statement."
"Unfortunately, his speech was riddled with lies like that. I'm ashamed to admit that we belong to the same party. This new element that has taken over the Republican Party is scary. They don't represent me and other regular Republicans. One has to wonder what Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, or Barry Goldwater would think of what their party has become."
Buck, I fear, is a man without a party.
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