This has been an awful week in our nation. From Parkland on Tuesday to the reports about efforts to undermine our democracy make news today. This just proves we need something different–at least for one post on this blog–to lift spirits.
Everyday I spend an hour or so with a book about history. I am working my way through–and loving each moment–of Master of the Senate by Robert Caro. (How many ways are there to say brilliant?) Richard Russell, Jr. was a famed senator in the 20th century–a Senate Office Building is named after him. But it was his father, Russell, Sr., which makes for the smile I had and wish to impart to others who no doubt need something to lift their sails.
Richard Russell, Sr. was a judge and not far from the house where he lived with his wife and 13 kids—she spent the first 20 years of her marriage mostly being pregnant—was a train stopping point. And that is where we find this account……….
On mornings on which the judge had to travel to court in Atlanta, one of the children would station himself at a curve about half a mile away to wave his handkerchief to flag the train down. Catching a glimpse of the train, he would shout, “Round the curve!” “Round the curve!” The word would be relayed by another child to the house, where judge Russell sat regally at his table, refusing to be rushed through his breakfast, and then, at the very last moment, the judge, a lordly figure.. would stride out to the station, still holding his coffee cup. Often he would not get there quite in time, and the train would be passing the station, but he would wave at the engineer, who would put on the brakes and then back the train up so that the judge could board, taking a last sip as he stepped aboard and handed the cup down to one of his children.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 