Wellstone Was Always a Shining Knight by Sherri Byrand

Wellstone Was Always a Shining Knight
by Sherri Byrand

As I walked behind the couple, I could see how short he was; he was also balding and walking with a funny gait: a little hunched over and limping. He certainly didn't match up to what is considered to be the American ideal for sex appeal in men.

Nevertheless, I could also see how clearly this man and woman cared about each other - here they were, holding hands like two young lovers, though from my vantage point they looked to be in their 50s.

Then partway down the block came a loud voice - clearly agitated, clearly nonsensical. A large man was swearing at the top of his lungs. It was Massachusetts Avenue on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; there, one gets used to seeing oddballs. But this guy was a lot odder than usual. His words, vulgar and vehement, ran in shouting streams of incoherency, while he swung around his arms. All I could think of was, he's dangerous - steer clear. But there was nowhere to go: cars were parked on one side, and a brick wall stood on the other.

The small man in front of me didn't miss a beat. He immediately switched sides with the woman, putting himself between her and the hulk approaching. He looked at her and said, "It's OK," and then looked around. His eyes found mine and he nodded. In that gesture I saw a gentle, "Don't worry, I'll take care of you too."

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1027-07.htm

I was just thinking about wellstone, such a good man...

God, that's awesome. I've avoided much of the anniversary coverage because the wounds are still fresh. I was priviledged enough to meet the Wellstones several times, and yes, he was usually holding Sheila's hand. She was great--truly yin to his yang--a "helpmeet" in the very best sense of that word. I like to believe he was holding her hand as they passed over.

I was amazed at the things he said. He got me obsessively interested in politics. Great man. I e-mailed him in September '01 telling him about how I first heard of him that night and how he did some work with my Uncle who was the Area Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Minnesota region. He read my e-mail and had one of his staff members call my house personally and ask me to apply for an internship. Sadly, in a move I'll regret all my life, I decided to put off my application a year, as I was planning on moving across the country from MT to AZ to got to college. I figured I would get settled in and apply when he was reelected. His death devastated me, not so much when it happened, but in the ensuing months afterward when it sunk in and most Dems were rolling over in Congress to Bush and Co. I hope I can be half the man Wellstone was. To be like him is my life's goal. Not politically necessarily -that would be nice- but I mean as a person. Stay tuned. I'm writing a semi-tribute to him today. I read the rough draft in a workshop last year and the whole room ripped with applause. I was told by a published author that I should publish it. However, it's been a bit too hard to touch since then. Emotional topic for me.

Paul Wellstone was my hero. It tears me up everytime I think about what happened to him.

I'll post it when I finish it in a day or two.