THE BLUE SUIT
Frank and honest conversations between the mayor’s Blue Suit and the Editor of the Everett Leader Herald.
(If you think the mayor’s Blue Suit doesn’t have a mind, pay attention to what he has to say.)
The weather has been gorgeous. The past four or five days, minus a very few clouds, have been impressively blue skied, brilliantly clear and warm pre-fall days.
No matter who you are or what you have going in your life, these are precious days to savor. You don’t get many of these days in a year – and in a lifetime, most of us will get these days maybe 100 times. Suffice to say, you want to clear your head, get out of your house, put on a sweater, and find a place where you can think, and dream, and plot the next move in your life.
The mayor’s Blue Suit and I discussed a variety of events this week when we met on Tuesday. As usual, we talked as we drove around the city with the windows down, with so many people walking on the sidewalks waving to the Blue Suit or shouting his name excitedly as they watched us drive past.
“They love me,” the Blue Suit said to me.
“Many, many Everett people believe what I say to you. I know they do. That’s such a good feeling, to be know by so many people, to share information them, and to discuss exactly what is going on in Everett,” the Blue Suit added.
“I am one of the best known characters in this city. I’m proud of that. I think I’ve earned my reputation. After all, do you know another Blue Suit like me?”
“No, man,” I answered. “If you are nothing else, you are one of a kind. I mean, before meeting you, I never knew a Blue Suit quite like you. Unbelievably enough, many Everett people believe you are real,” I said.
“Let’s not go there, Josh,” the Blue Suit cautioned me. He was angry.
“I hope this isn’t going to be another one of your talks about me not existing, not being real, and not being alive. You know, I know, that many of the mayor’s secrets are mine because of the close relationship I share with him. For instance, do you know how the mayor felt after his chief of staff Erin Deveney didn’t defend him against the pro-city council onslaught Monday night for Pope John?”
“No I don’t. Tell me, how did he feel?”
“He felt that she deserted him. He was furious with her.”
“And what did she say back to him?” I asked.
“What do you think she said back to him?” he asked me. “Absolutely nothing,” I answered.
“You got that right. You don’t want to get the mayor more upset when he’s pissed off – and he was furious. He was also furious about Al Lattanzi’s comment that he was in favor of Pope John being used as a school rather than the mayor’s new housing development. That made him feel like Caesar being stabbed by Brutus,” the Blue Suit said.
“Wow! That’s something. I didn’t think the mayor knew much about Shakespeare’s plays, especially the tragedies,” I added.
“The mayor’s favorite is Romeo and Juliet, if you want to know, Josh. You’ve got the guy all wrong. Carlo is really a romantic all the way. And for what it’s worth, he loves Shakespeare’s comedies, especially, Twelfth Night. Truth be known, he loves the character Viola,” the Blue Suit said to me.
“You’ve got him all wrong, Josh. Carlo is a Shakespeare fanatic. When it comes to literature, he is mesmerized by the work of James Joyce. He loves Irish writers. But two favorite writers are Italian, Giovanni Boccaccio and Niccolo Machiavelli. Bet you didn’t know that, Josh.”
“Frankly, I’m a bit amazed. I didn’t think the mayor liked reading very much. I guess I was wrong. Oh well, I can’t be right all the time, can I?” I asked the Blue Suit.
“There are people closest with the mayor who claim you are never right about anything, Josh. They say you make everything up about the mayor and that you’ve tried to ruin his reputation,” the Blue Suit said.
“Who says things like that because that’s a lie. How could I ever make up something like the mayor being a big fan of Shakespeare. Why that would be impossible, don’t you think?” I asked the Blue Suit.
“Josh, let’s get lunch and stop talking rubbish.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“My stomach is saying to me large meatball sub with extra sauce and a a large Italian. Im starved.”