One of my Favorite Life Experiences

A small, personal memory, provided for your amusement.

I was covering the 1972 elections as a young reporter, on the scene at the local Board of Elections. I knew some of the other people there, including a friend of mine from one of the major newspapers. He was a grizzled veteran reporter, much older than me, an ink-stained wretch, always in his classic rumpled trenchcoat.

At one point in the festivities, he looked over and signaled for me to follow him. I did and we walked silently through the darkened hallways of a building he obviously knew much better than I did. We arrived at an office. He opened the door, turned on the light, and sat down.

"As you know," he announced, more grandly than his audience of one required, "it is against the law to consume alcohol in the Board of Elections on election day. This, however, is the Board of Education."

He reached into the pockets of his trenchcoat and produced two bottles of beer, handing one to me. He also smoked a cigarette.