We’ve been pitched into like pin seals by pundits and cranks , telling us angrily that state government doesn’t work, that our Representatives don’t care. Let me renew the faith.

At the first ‘On the Wall Poetry’ exhibit at the Larchmont Library, Larchmont, New York, the Assemblyman from my assembly district, George Latimer, came to the opening reception. I didn’t send a limo. He didn’t get an engraved invitation. He just saw a newspaper announcement and showed up.

We spoke and I mentioned that I’d like to find other libraries to exhibit the show. He asked that I email him a letter with that request. The day after, a copy of his email to five library administrators in his district, appeared on my desktop. I’ve had a meeting at one of those libraries (New Rochelle, New York)…and now have an exhibition date there in July.

George Latimer is ubiquitous. He does show up to press the flesh, to meet his constituents and to listen. When and if, in the future, ‘to Latimer’ becomes a verb, it will mean just that… to show up, meet constituents and listen. I’m sure there are many other State Representatives that ‘Latimer’ their districts. The pundits and the cranks ought to be able to find them and write about them.