Tag: The Blue Suit

— Eye on Everett —

“I’ve never been jealous of the mayor. I am a bit jealous today.”

– Josh Resnek talking with the mayor’s Blue Suit

By JOSH RESNEK

The Blue Suit and I met at Oliveira’s on Broadway just out of Glendale Square Tuesday afternoon.
We both did the buffet for the basics – salad, potatoes, rice – and then we went to the carving table where we were served some freshly broiled and cut rare steak, chicken, and lamb.

I believe Oliveira’s does Brazilian food about the best in the city.

We sat in the main dining room, off to a corner near to the front of the room. With social distancing restrictions limiting the number of tables, and not many of the tables filled with diners, we felt relatively safe.

The Blue Suit seemed happy. Frankly, I was a bit down.

Monday had been a bad day. I was recovering from it as we ate our plates food.

“What’s the problem, Josh? Usually, you are asking me what my problem is. Today, I have no problem, at least I’m not aware of any. I’m fine. I had a good Easter. The mayor has been leaving me alone. I’m up and at ‘em and ready to go,” the Blue Suit said slopping together a heaping fork of meat, lettuce, rice, and potato and shoving it into his mouth.

“Good God, man. How can you fit a giant helping of food like that inside your mouth?” I asked.

The Blue Suit chewed and chewed. He had so much food inside his mouth that it was difficult for him to swallow all of it. I thought he couldn’t breathe. Finally, he got it down. A big lump of food lodged in his throat. His throat bulged. Then it contracted when the food dropped. A moment later, He let out a loud clapper – a massive, howling, deep stomach burp.

“Excuse me!!!” the Blue Suit exclaimed.

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— Eye on Everett —

“Carlo wants to become a Buddhist.“

– The Mayor’s Blue Suit talking with Josh Resnek

By JOSH RESNEK

The Blue Suit met me outside the Central Fire Station Tuesday afternoon. I picked him up on the corner where the drugstore used to be diagonally across the front of the Central Station.

“Millions were just spent to fix up Central Station,” the Blue Suit said to me.

“So. I know that. What’s the big deal?” I asked.

“Think about it, Josh. Millions are put into modernizing the central station and making it safe. After all, firefighters are all about doing things exactly the right way. When all is said and done, the work is finally over but there is one thing missing,” the Blue Suit said to me.

“And what is that?” I asked him.

‘There’s no handicap accessibility.”

The renovated Central Fire Station on Broadway. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)


‘What!” I exclaimed. “How can the central fire station not have handicap accessibility? That’s like a hospital not having oxygen for patients. What is up with that?” I asked.

“That’s a good question. That’s what Carlo wants to know but he can’t say anything publicly because he can’t criticize the chief. That’s why I came down here to take a close-up look and then report to the mayor.

“Why didn’t he confront the fire chief?” I asked. ‘What’s he sending you for?”

Carlo doesn’t want to talk to Carli. He’s upset with him. They pretend to be OK, you know, like best of friends. But they aren’t. Carli can’t stand Carlo, but he does the dance for him because he wants to be left alone to do anything other than to be the fire chief,” the Blue Suit added.

“Carlo is busy. Carlo is in deep thought. He’s not thinking about the fire department or the chief. Carlo is trying to figure out a few things about himself and why he is the way he is.”

“What does that mean?” I asked the Blue Suit. “What is he trying to do with himself?”

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— Eye on Everett —

“Carlo says this all the time to developers:
“’ You need to show me incentive for this project to fly,’” the Blue Suit recalled. “Not all developers take his bait. I know one that he’s hooked without Carlo having to be a fisherman.“

– The Mayor’s Blue Suit talking with Josh Resnek

By JOSH RESNEK

The Blue Suit and I sipped on Brazilian coffee and ate delicious pastries at Common Ground in the Pioneer apartment building on the Parkway. It was Monday afternoon, about 2:30 p.m. We sat at a table for two off to the side where no one could see us.

A steady stream of customers came and went as we talked.

“You know that article you wrote recently about a proposed 21 story apartment building with a penthouse level bar and restaurant on Spring Street?” the Blue Suit asked me.

“Yes. So?”

“If it is approved – permitted, that is – Carlo makes out like a bandit.”

“How do you figure?” I shot back to the Blue Suit.

“Come on, Josh. You’re supposed to be smart. I can give you $1 million worth of reasons that Carlo will make certain the site is permitted.”

MARCH 4: Spring Street proposed redevelopment site. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

“You mean to say he will be paid to make sure the permitting takes place?” I asked.

“Yes,” the Blue Suit replied. “He won’t want to act too fast and make it look easy, that would cut down on his bouquet.”

“Is he getting a floral display or flowers if the site is permitted?” I joked.

‘What is this bouquet you are talking about?” I asked.

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— Eye on Everett —

“Carlo should be leading the fight against racism and sexism. Instead, he remains quiet.”

– The Mayor’s Blue Suit in a conversation with Josh Resnek

By JOSH RESNEK

I’ve been worn by Carlo for a long, long time. I’ve known him when he was bad. I’ve seen him change. But there’s something that remains the same, always. It is something that says, “I need more. I am not happy inside,” the Blue Suit said to me earlier this week.

“No matter what it is, he needs more. It is a restlessness born, I think, out of boredom. Let’s face it, he doesn’t read books. He isn’t the best-informed mayor in the nation. He doesn’t have much interest in art or culture. His insights about history are ridiculous. Mainly, Carlo resists change. He hangs on to the old Everett out of fear he will not fit in a new Everett,” the Blue Suit said to me.

“Go on with that. What do you mean that he needs more, that he is not happy?” I asked.

“Let me reiterate. I know him like a servant knows his master. Early on I idolized him. He wore me everywhere back then. I was proud to be worn by him. As I came to know him, as he changed during the early years of being mayor, I came to wonder about Carlo. The time came to pass when I didn’t want him wearing me as much, or eating while he wore me, or falling asleep while I was on him. Then came the up and down weight thing he goes through from time to time. That was the hardest,” the Blue Suit recalled.

“What was the hardest?” I repeated to the Blue Suit.

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— Eye on Everett —

“He’s bothered but I don’t know exactly.”

– The Mayor’s Blue Suit talking with Josh Resnek

By JOSH RESNEK

The Blue Suit and I met outside the 8/10 bar and restaurant on Norwood Street early Monday afternoon. Let’s face it, the Blue Suit and I are geniuses. The 8/10 doesn’t open until late in the afternoon.

I picked him up in my red Honda Fit junker. A little more than a year ago, the Blue Suit and I would eat inside the 8/10 and mix it up with whoever was there.

That was a year ago.

The Blue Suit and I don’t eat inside restaurants anymore – at least until the virus is done raising havoc, getting people sick, and killing them. My favorite dish at the 8/10 is a simple Italian treat done extremely well – fettuccini Pomodoro.

The Blue Suit prefers sweet sausage with grilled onions and peppers – also done extremely well.

When the Blue Suit plopped himself into the passenger seat and shut the door, he made a suggestion. I was all ears.

“You know, Josh. I think I want to order out from the Everett Square Deli today.”

I drove off of Norwood Street and turned right onto Broadway. I parked in front of the Everett Bank on the opposite side of the street.

The Blue Suit ordered a large Italian sub with everything and hot peppers and extra oil and seasoning.

I got what I always get there. I don’t need to say anything. They know what I want when they see me – a small ham and cheese sub with pickles, tomatoes and onions, oregano, and a touch of oil.

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