For once the weather in Atlanta didn’t suck. For the past 23 years it seems as every Savannah Day-in-Atlanta Lobby-fest was cold, wet and windy. Once Laura Webb and I had to lock arms and bend forward into the wind as we made our way back to the hotel so we weren’t blown back into Underground Atlanta. Atlanta can be bitter in so many ways.
But it was nice yesterday. The sun shone, the temperature was pleasant and I never donned the heavy coat that I’d brought for once. I had a pleasant lunch in Virginia Highlands and then went to the Capitol for the beginning of Savannah Day festivities.
I walked in with Mayor Otis Johnson of Savannah. We go way back. We shook hands. He asked if he was in the right place. You would think a Mayor know.
Then I walked inside and there was Councilman Tony Thomas who handed me a button pushing cruise ships in Savannah. I asked him if he had a good time yesterday. Yesterday the City Council orchestrated a 40 step backwards by making Racism front page news.
Then show had already started. This consists of WTOC television personality and former state legislator Sonny Dixon introducing people who are elected or appointed who mostly tell us how busy they are … how hard it is … how many committee meetings they have … and similar bullshit.
The room is packed with the current Leadership Savannah class, anybody who holds elected office in Chatham County, paid lobbyist and members of the business community. It is standing room only though the Chatham County Commission, City Council and School Board all have seats. I notice that these are the only people actually paying much attention to the BS that is being thrown across the room.
Well, and the Leadership Savannah class but that is only because they are facing the audience, behind the elected or the appointed, and are forced to look like they are interested. The rest of us are checking our blackberries, waving at one another, or whispering jokes and giggling as though we’re still in High School.
Every year that I’ve been here I was kissing political ass trying to get something done for Union Mission, Savannah’s homeless, or Chatham County’s uninsured. As my dear friend Stacy put it the other day, it was like walking around with a wet mattress strapped to your back.
After about an hour I left. Margaret Mary was standing outside and we hugged. “What are you here asking for,” she asked?
“The single question everyone in the state wants answered,” I replied. “Gov. Deal, just how in the f*@k did you get elected? Really”!
She cracked up.
Then I hooked up with Rebekah and it was time for the Garden Party at the Train Depot which is alcohol, oysters, bar-b-que for a thousand people. Without a particular agenda, it was great! Friends that I haven’t seen since Many bear hugged and kissed me. They wanted to know where I’ve been, what I’m doing and what I’m going to do. Lunch meetings and cocktail were demanded and my pocket is filled with names and dates.
My dear friend Terry Ball shows up. Shirley Sessions (who actually runs the United Way and Tybee Island) was there. Jenny Gentry, Joe Buck, Kay Ford, Bill Hubbard, Ron Stephens, Buddy Carter, James Holmes, and a hundred other embraces and tiny conversations take place.
As it all started winding down in walks my former co-workers Lavanda Brown and Aretha Jones. I suppose there’s an after party that they attend to which I’ve never been invited.
Interim City Manager Rochelle Smalls-Tony walks by and awkwardly gives me a hug. “I don’t understand what all of this controversy is about,” she tells me.
I shrug my shoulders. “Really,” I say? “I can help.”
Then I survey the room. There is no one else left to talk to. So Rebekah and I walk back to the hotel. We laugh and talk about the evening. At one point I text Aretha because as soon as I saw her she disappeared into the crowd and I never got to say hello.
Then it was bed time. And I was glad. Garden parties are really for politicians.
I’m not one.
