Hello Friends:
"On The Shoulders of Giants..."
A Resurgent Career
On January 11, 2008, our friend, Peter L. Banks, was inaugurated as the 36th Mayor of Barnesville, GA. He is a former Friday Forum regular….a giant, savagely beating back the darkness of the “functional irrelevance” that age is heir to. This is in his honor.
Peter retired after a long career of service as an attorney, State Senator, head of Governmental Affairs for AGL Resources and recipient of many civic and state honors. He returned to his hometown, Barnesville, population 6153, 50 miles south of Atlanta. Now Barnesville is not the end of the world, but some say you can see it from here. But the job of Mayor offered more challenge than golf and relaxation, so he ran for the office.
About 300 folks gathered on a rainy morning at the Civic Center, eager to witness Supreme
Court Justice George Carley swear in the new Mayor. Friends ran the spectrum, from community well-wishers to business and political cronies. The atmosphere was electric and buzzed with excitement, unusual for such a small-town event. I had hoped to add to it by infusing some "spice" to the punch bowl, but the Police Chief spotted my mischief and touched his weapon...I got the message. Besides, the abundance of food was sufficient anesthetization!
Many think 69 year-old men are irrelevant...hardly. Peter ran unopposed, perhaps in fear of the Machiavellian politics of "reward to friends and retribution to enemies" that somehow had circulated early in the campaign. Peter gave a rousing speech of unity, with great swelling promises, but with the caveat that his office did have a back door! At the conclusion one would have thought it was a family reunion for all the hugs, kisses and back-slaps Pete got. I had suggested his campaign slogan should have been, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and vigor," but Pete thought it too extreme for the village.
Pete, the Native son, had returned to offer back something to his hometown. What did he offer? Well, if our generation is not the Vanguard of the new brand of mayors, at least we are the shoulders of wisdom, experience and compassion the youth will stand on to launch their careers.
After the event the remnant of us retired for lunch to Miss Bessie's Tea Room, a rather Victorian restaurant situated downtown in the old pool hall. With the exception of Pete's 3 daughters, the average age was, well, old. Outside on the sidewalks of this small college town youth and locals walked past, oblivious to what had transpired...Power had passed, and soon the "Irrelevance of Retirement" would give way to "The Relevance" of a Resurgent Career.
Political ceremonies, like small-town funerals also end. Goodbyes were said, hugs and kisses exchanged, and life began to return to normal. I immediately got on the phone to John and Eddie, raising money for the 10 foot tall bronze statue of Hizzoner next to the new Mayoral Library in the new Mayoral Park...can't wait too long for these things, you know, momentum is fleeting!
And as I headed back to the coast, Peter's words kept resounding in my mind: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants..." Sir Isaac Newton, 1676. So much for so-called "Irrelevance of Age"...Peter's Resurgent Career is encouragement to us all! 'Cause, friends, it ain't over till it's over...
The Honorable Peter Louis Banks, the 36th Mayor of Barnesville, Georgia.
Bud
January 17, 2008
"On The Shoulders of Giants..."
A Resurgent Career
On January 11, 2008, our friend, Peter L. Banks, was inaugurated as the 36th Mayor of Barnesville, GA. He is a former Friday Forum regular….a giant, savagely beating back the darkness of the “functional irrelevance” that age is heir to. This is in his honor.
Peter retired after a long career of service as an attorney, State Senator, head of Governmental Affairs for AGL Resources and recipient of many civic and state honors. He returned to his hometown, Barnesville, population 6153, 50 miles south of Atlanta. Now Barnesville is not the end of the world, but some say you can see it from here. But the job of Mayor offered more challenge than golf and relaxation, so he ran for the office.
About 300 folks gathered on a rainy morning at the Civic Center, eager to witness Supreme
Court Justice George Carley swear in the new Mayor. Friends ran the spectrum, from community well-wishers to business and political cronies. The atmosphere was electric and buzzed with excitement, unusual for such a small-town event. I had hoped to add to it by infusing some "spice" to the punch bowl, but the Police Chief spotted my mischief and touched his weapon...I got the message. Besides, the abundance of food was sufficient anesthetization!Many think 69 year-old men are irrelevant...hardly. Peter ran unopposed, perhaps in fear of the Machiavellian politics of "reward to friends and retribution to enemies" that somehow had circulated early in the campaign. Peter gave a rousing speech of unity, with great swelling promises, but with the caveat that his office did have a back door! At the conclusion one would have thought it was a family reunion for all the hugs, kisses and back-slaps Pete got. I had suggested his campaign slogan should have been, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and vigor," but Pete thought it too extreme for the village.
Pete, the Native son, had returned to offer back something to his hometown. What did he offer? Well, if our generation is not the Vanguard of the new brand of mayors, at least we are the shoulders of wisdom, experience and compassion the youth will stand on to launch their careers.
After the event the remnant of us retired for lunch to Miss Bessie's Tea Room, a rather Victorian restaurant situated downtown in the old pool hall. With the exception of Pete's 3 daughters, the average age was, well, old. Outside on the sidewalks of this small college town youth and locals walked past, oblivious to what had transpired...Power had passed, and soon the "Irrelevance of Retirement" would give way to "The Relevance" of a Resurgent Career.
Political ceremonies, like small-town funerals also end. Goodbyes were said, hugs and kisses exchanged, and life began to return to normal. I immediately got on the phone to John and Eddie, raising money for the 10 foot tall bronze statue of Hizzoner next to the new Mayoral Library in the new Mayoral Park...can't wait too long for these things, you know, momentum is fleeting!
And as I headed back to the coast, Peter's words kept resounding in my mind: "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants..." Sir Isaac Newton, 1676. So much for so-called "Irrelevance of Age"...Peter's Resurgent Career is encouragement to us all! 'Cause, friends, it ain't over till it's over...
The Honorable Peter Louis Banks, the 36th Mayor of Barnesville, Georgia.
Bud
January 17, 2008
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