The other day I was taking the streetcar to work. It was one of the really cold days we had last week. I don’t think it was the coldest day we had during that stretch in NOLA, but it was cold. Below freezing. It was 8am or so, and there were little icicles hanging from overhands and bus stop shelters. I’ve lived in cold places, so i know you can’t really call 28 degrees cold, but it was cold enough.
Anyway, everyone was miserable on the streetcar, all bundled up. everyone walking oustside was miserable. You can’t blame them. As I was looking at the windows as we crossed Poydras, I noticed a familiar looking gentleman in a brown overcoat. I stared for awhile, and saw that it was Ron Couhig, mayoral candidate. He didn’t look happy to be out in the cold that early. Once again, can’t blame him.
The streetcar stopped next to him, and he looked up at it, and saw some guy staring at him. I could see the moment that he forgot that he was some schmoe trying to get to his office and out of the cold and remembered that he was running for mayor. He face lit up in a big smile as his eyes met mine, and he waved that politician wave. I nodded in acknowledgment.
I’m not a Couhig supporter, as I feel supporting Nagin in the last election is pretty unforgivable. But I really felt bad that he had to be nice to me, some shithead on the streetcar who was rudely staring, because he wants to be mayor. He just wanted to be warm, like everybody else, and focus on getting inside, like everybody else. But he had to smile at some idiot on the streetcar, for the possibility of one more vote. It made me feel sorry for him, and the other candidates. One of the things I love about this city, is that New Orleans is small enough that these type of interactions are more common. It’s fun. Even if Ron Couhig makes me sad.
Like Jonah Bascle, who actually responded to an elbuzzard.com post after I said that Manny Chevrolet was a better comedian than him. He pointed out that the mayoral debate was not the place to be funny, which is absolutely correct. I don’t want to lump Bascle in with Couhig, but right now, they are the two candidates I like the best, even though I doubt I would vote for either of them, since Couhig is Nagin, and Bascel doesn’t really have a shot.
I guess I’m just a sucker for personal interaction. I bet if John Georges showed up at my house I’d like him too.
UPDATE: Speaking of comedians, John Georges is an idiot.
Kent,
It’s Rob Couhig. And he’s actually a helluva nice guy. (Though I agree — his grin on a funky morning was likely to be a bit of theatre. On the other hand, imagine getting a smile from anyone when you walk into city hall).
I seriously doubt the claim that that the previous comment is actually Rob Couhig. If it is, his campaign team needs to get him a better email address, one that actually looks professional.
Well, I’m an idiot. I now see that I was calling him Ron Couhig and agin_cajun was correcting me, not saying he was Rob Couhig.
I simply cannot stress enough how much of an idiot I am.