Washington Post Editor
The Washington Post, 1301 K Street NW, Washington
DC 20071
February 9, 2017
Dear Editor,
As confusing and
vexing as it might appear – the President’s dinner refusal might be a disguised
blessing. My mother might have looked at
that, that way. She lived to defy
nature, and in spite of it. My first
memorable vision of Mother was completely enveloped in an inferno that I
watched while falling from the upper story of a burning building. If not for her, I’d have perished early (age
1). We both suffered lifelong injuries
and each lived to be silent about it (I am blessed with a hearing defect).
We were a Spartan
Appalachian country family. It was only
a few years after WWII ended. General
Dwight Eisenhower stopped his car beside the lawn to shake hands with Mom and
Dad, who were wearing uniforms. I
happened to be wearing my first suit; when I pushed forward my hand to offer it
to the General. “Someday, you could be,
President,” Eisenhower assured me.
Another aspect of
that first fall experienced, might have been a progressive memory that takes me
almost to conception. While living, we
need observe and experience as much of life as we may. Mom always assured me that if things seemed
difficult; not to worry, they can always get worse.
I was forever
impressed with my vision of Dwight Eisenhower.
Gullible at first, I later toned my ambitions to suit me; purchasing equal
land and lodging as my hero had had.
In ordinary
citizens, President Eisenhower instilled hope.
They could get education and earn livelihoods, get married, have
children and future visions.
Fortunately,
gulibili8ty was an asset for me. It was
ephemeral and didn’t last long. In fact
I realistically set my goals on functional projects within reach; eventually
earning a Leadership, Master’s Degree, while working.
Personally, I
believe it is important for children to dream and have goals. Not everybody can realistically achieve
equally; as elements of nature address our demeanors. We are who we are; only needing to experience
ourselves. It is more important for
children to learn morality, perseverance and stamina. Certainly our actions each play important roles
in who we each become.
Real life dealt
me privileges others miss. Parents play
important roles in childhood raring.
Fortunately I had kind, loving parents in a family that lived in
prayer. We were immune from sin because
there was too much work. My dad lived
well into his nineties; attributing his sawyer work to his welfare. Appalachians experience servitude of sorts,
working various positions; coming home to work more. Dad taught me to be rich in inner strength,
and resourceful.
Throughout life,
I’ve silently studied presidents, politics, policies and wars, all-the-while
remembering a few presidential candidates met during election campaigns. Mostly I noticed mixed years of wheat
harvests – experiencing more farming and country living than crowds. While city dwelling, I remember
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Candidate Jane Byrne walking through a factory where I was
standing near a conveyor line we were designing, during early adulthood. She shook my hand.
I said, “I would like you to know Mayor;
you’re the most important person I ever met.”
She looked at me and said, “I want you to
know, you are an important person as well.”
She was correct. Everybody is
important in some capacity.
My idea was
naturally aspirated; write a book and sell it on sidewalks; where I’d meet
people and eventually advance. It was
simple enough and landed me dinner with, Mayor Harold Washington. He later thanked me in a short letter; as
Jane Byrne had once done.
Bill Clinton was
my, Bubba. I first wrote him a hand
written letter; addressed to then, Governor of Arkansas. I asked him to run for, President. Months later we met at CME – Chicago -- and
maintained contact during his Presidency.
He sent me eight invitations to visit, Washington DC. Unfortunately I had more homework and less
time for vacation; especially making journey to a place of business where most
people accomplish nothing. What could I
accomplish there?
President Obama
perhaps shared more letters with me than any other President I’d written
to. I probably wrote more letters to
him than I’d written past Presidents as well; maybe because he is more literate
than most Presidents were, knowing better how to be articulate.
Although I served
the Republican Party, thirty years; I got almost zero recognition for anything
I did there. I’ve never gotten a letter
from any Republican President that I can remember. They tend to be less literate; for some
reason. While we share ideas for a
balanced budget, my thoughts are often one-hundred, eighty degrees from them;
more like, Senator Sanders. I believe a
foundation must be built from the base.
Mom was an army
engineer and taught me much about building. Dad did accounting. Both were better educated for their time than
many area people; often forced to quit school to pursue short careers as
lumberjacks and pulp wood drivers. Dad
graduated with just a handful of students, in a school miles from his,
Woodsville home. He was the first in his
family to graduate from, High School; and with honors. Mom was thrice Valedictorian.
If I’d tried to
be like both parents wanted me to be, I’d be torn in two directions. Their union worked well for them, producing
close to a dozen children; most I never met, being an older child and having
been privileged to leave home early in life.
I simply learned to be myself. We
each have good relationships, all lasting decades.
Finding my, Camp
David was more on my agenda, than spending any time in, Washington DC. Not that it isn’t a nice city; never spent much
time there, other than passing through.
While motorcycling during the seventies, I glazed the wall which juts
out atop the hill slightly with my leg, narrowly escaping
3
injuries to myself; and more importantly, the bike I’d just
purchased. But I never found, Camp David
on that trip; finding my wife instead.
My wife encouraged
my education which ensued shortly after our first meeting. We shared wonderful opportunities to tour
museums, zoos, mansions and other interesting places. She insisted we
move into a rural area, within a decade of our maturity
together. She wanted a proper home,
while I appreciated land.
What leads young
couple’s deviations from normal life patterns may be determined
chromosomally. The ideas of great
aspirations, those dreams separately shared by everyone with different life
outlooks determined by location, means little to most; those cards fate
dealt.
For most of a
year, while we first met, my health teetered awkwardly. You could argue it was the food – perhaps bad
cooking – that never existed. Instead I
opted for a healthy diet of liquids which I partook from a straw stuffed
sideways into my mouth (coincidentally, I’d happen to be visiting the ER on a
gurney, semi-paralyzed with a broken neck [my unknowing future wife happened to
be performing her first surgery on me that evening]. You never really appreciate life until it
means too much. We don’t always get to
choose our lives. My wife might have
done better, had she more free time.
Getting back to,
Presidential; my take from each President was diplomacy or lack thereof. Those people I appreciated most were the
executives who listened to me and ordinary citizens. Lots of things happen on all coasts and
corners of US. Imagine millions of
people writing letters to Presidents. Self-expression
is critical to writing effective, Presidential letters.
Eisenhower shook
many hands the day we met. He’d
forgotten me by the time he reached the next town; probably. The messages spoken along the way with mixed
reaction, most would be forgotten as well.
He was a beacon for me. Whenever
I thought to do something important, I’d ask myself; would Eisenhower do this,
or, how might he approach such subject.
In actuality, I
like many might shun such job. Really,
I’ve served as President, and officer of a corporation (we balanced our budget,
100% [my accountants each taught math, accounting; and or, commodities at some
interval in their careers]. I was a
State secretary and District Representative; election judge, District Captain,
community organizer and a host of functions, only with the intention of
reaching specific goals – safe neighborhood, stable property values, etc.
Aspiring to be
President, is almost tantamount to ascending Mount Everest. The closest I ever got to that; I was once a
Sherpa for infamous, Dr. Woodrow Wilson Sayers (68). We shared common philosophies. He was able to penetrate Tibet without first
acquiring a passport. It seemed more
important for Sayers that he should acquire and assemble his crew; even oxygen
was an afterthought, he forgot to bring it.
In spite of inequities, Dr. Sayers came within a few hundred feet of
Everest’s summit. We spent a warm
evening inside a tiny mountain hut; barely large enough for a handful of
people, one frigid winter evening, before parting company, I skiing a trail
know as, Inferno; he and his
4
group choosing to glissade down some steep ledges near
there. Climbing Mt. Everest, was a waste
of time, he privately confided (mountain inebriation might have played a role
into his logic; as, we’d polished a generous portion of liquid that
evening). If you do everything properly,
getting all permits and each required step followed, you might be following the
same annual pilgrims for decades, without ever reaching the summit; or worse,
dying and left there in a crevasse. Sayers
and his Sherpas staged and climbed the other side, where fewer climbers
ventured.
Character
appearance is more important for President, Totem climbers. Congressmen, Governors and tycoons mostly
run for that position; mostly a waste of time.
As long as we maintain status quo, we have generations of the same. Maybe it is more important to climb your own
mountains, instead of waiting in line, holding on to the same rope.
What character
should all Presidents have? It’s
difficult to demand a demeanor from each independent. In my favor, I had good parents and guardians
to reflect on; and for some reason a will and determination to live life as
what I think is, Presidential. In United
States of America, everybody in America can run for and serve (with some
stipulation) as our national leader.
I never ran for a
public office. It was unnecessary. Maybe it takes too much pride; but, not
really. While walking along the sidewalk
one day, I met a person who happened to be walking in the same direction, and
we started a lively conversation to learn we shared commonalities. I was invited to join a charitable,
non-profit, non-political, non-religious organization, to help people
worldwide. It is how I spend my spare time.
When I joined the
order, I requested to assist as a club secretary and instead, unanimously
elected, President. You don’t always get
to choose people you meet. Eisenhower
was coincidental, but that and the organization I joined, influenced and shaped
my life, along with privilege. Few
people are ever known well enough to be entrusted with our highest office, its
stipulations and responsibilities.
Everything is
fifty-fifty and one-hundred percent – you give 100% and hope everybody does the
same. I never really believed I’d be,
President. General Eisenhower instilled
more than that in me; self-dignity and respect for others as well. Far reaches in my mind tell me nothing is
impossible – simply, my vision was of an ancient log cabin with a deep chalet
type roof, a smoky smell on cool evenings resonating from tall fireplace
chimneys, and miles of woods to roam while watching wildlife abound. But, I still believe in acting Presidential,
just in case; and because it is ingrained in my nature to be that way. Presidents (the job) deserve respect, and are
expected to reciprocate in kind. That
thought in mind, I’d willing accept such invitation, were I such celebrity and
leader. I expect the event will proceed
well without me, and understandably so.
I never earned it – the dinner.
But, if I were invited, I would humbly accept; no matter what President
I might or may not be – simply, I’d say, thank you.
Sincerely,
Johny Appalachia
