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Right Slap-Dash in the Middle of Things
North Miami Beach, Florida 10-9-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
RIGHT SLAP-DASH IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS
I have discovered that there are these pundits who comment on the comments
and behavior of people in power. They are right slap-dash in the middle of
things. They seem to be cheek and jowl next to those whose words they
examine, find unworthy or newsworthy and then castigate, castrate or praise
unconscionably the authors.
These pundits or commentators or spin meisters are positioned right in the
midst of power with a capital P. They have the might of the media today for
they write or televise important information that neither you nor I can do
without. In my small way and far distant from their positioning I have come
to understand that I comment on their comments. Here is the way this
happens.
I am not in the catbird seat and am not the fly on the wall although it
seems the pundits have captured both these positions. I am in the middle of
the IDEAS they generate but not any way near the movers and shakers. People
like Safire, Donaldson, Wills, Robinson, Jennings and the like are within
the fringe and right in there with the action. I am beyond the fringe and
outside the action and know it.
They are not themselves the players yet are right there seeing the sweat on
the brow and smelling the fears and exhilaration of the risk takers while
taking no risks themselves. I pick up on the mistakes and miscues they make
and calculate. There are those who in taking the risks anticipate the huge
payoffs of decision making. These are the hammers and the anvils - their
voyeurs are witnesses to forging unimaginable deals involving the fate of
nations and billions of people.
And here am I very distant from dancing with the wolves and lambs about
whom so many words are minted by cognoscenti. I comment on the commentators.
Now I am temporarily giving this up to rest until another tool of my trade
arrives from the north to replace the computer I have tried to use wisely
and delicately since coming to Florida. This piece of electronic wizardry
has let me down too often although I have vacuumed it and cordoned it off
from prying hands. I have wished to kick it, pummel it and vent on it all
the frustrations it has caused by inexplicable shutting down and losing
"stuff" I, in my creative mode, have forgotten to save.
As a writer of essays about ideas, issues and reflections on the times I
shall return after we complete a final move of momentous importance. We two
are in our mid-seventies and we look forward to this being over so we can
relax comfortably and look out into the place, which holds our future.
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.
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