Hard to believe it, sweets, but here we are at Thanksgiving time, already. It seems like jest last week the temperatures were 70, the breeze was warm, and it was delightful…wait a minute it was last week, or two weeks ago! Tennyrate, here at the manse, things are getting in shape for the holiday. The Mystick Maidens of the Marsh are congregating under our fearless leader, and we will start the day over at the Sandy Point area for some light talk and breakfast and then head to our domiciles.
As is our custom over these last several decades, Cobina will hand out turkeys to the great and the good, but since we have fewer of those, she hands ‘em out to the political class for the work they have done collectively to and for our city – mostly “to.”
Mayor Nancy Rossi – Herronner has not had a good year follying her re-election by a handful of votes and inauguration last December. To say it’s been one disappointment after another is to sum it up perty handily. Her turkey will be stuffed with bitter herbs as her year has been one of bitter short-falls.
Executive Assistant to the Mayor Lou Esposito – The mayor’s Guy Friday needs to smile more. Maybe he, too, sees the disappointments of the last year. We suggest his turkey has a sweet and spicy stuffing to make his moods better. The photos we’ve seen recently are not a good look – too dour.
City Council Chairman Peter Massaro – Over the year we’ve stopped sending questions to the chairman. He never responds. His turkey will have our email address attached to a drumstick. Maybe then he’ll see the queries and make a response…but we won’t hold our breath.
City Councilman-at-large Ron Quagliani – His turkey will have a council calendar wrapped within so he can check off the remaining meetings in the term. With the possibility of an open field come the summer for the mayoralty – just rumors, of course – the council meetings might become a bit more contentious.
City Council member Bridget Hoskie – The First Districk member has been the subjeck of some pernted comments lately, and some of it might be justified. Again, sometimes one has to listen and understand before one opines. A monograph on relaxing breathing exercises will be found with her turkey this year.
City Finance Director Scott Jackson – His turkey will have a small, but effective, shield. The slings and arrows that are gonna come his way over the next few months necessitate some smart protection. He won’t necessarily be the target, but that ain’t gonna make his job any easier, regardless.
DPW Director Tom McCarthy – The DPW director was a big proponent of the Enterprise Zone along the West River, and got quite incensed when our editor voiced the possibility this was not the super-duper fast tracked item that was being discussed. Here we are two years later. His turkey will have a map of the EZ and the number of projects earmarked.
State Rep. Dorinda Borer – It seems the year has been good to the rep from the 115th Assembly Districk. She has cobbled together quite a number of committees, chairmanships (Cobina hates the term “chair”) and some awards. One wonders effen there’s a future run for something after this litany of positives. Her turkey will have a fresh date book just to mark out all the engagements that might be in her future.
State Rep Trenee McGee – The newest member of the state delegation needs to understand the reality that not all opposition is a matter of bias, prejudice or anything else. People just don’t like your stand on the issues. Her turkey will have a wall hanging reminding her to “Talk less, listen more.”
GOP State Rep. Charles Ferraro – The 117th District rep is being talked about for a run for City Hall, we understand. His turkey will have a copy of the “The Art of the Deal” packaged with it. Effen he does run, trying to get the factions in the GOP to stop sniping at each other might require some negotiating skills.
Former GOP and Board of Ed member Pat Libero – The year seems to have been a tense one for the former GOP politico and educator. Irritation and irritability can be not very nice things. Her turkey will have some chamomile tea products surrounding it for future use.
Park Director Mark Paine – For another year, our esteemed parks manager has follyed the advice he got when he took the job. Paine has been able to stay out of the morass that is 355 Main St., and jest do the job for which we was hired – a rarity around here. His turkey will have a radar detector – so he can stay under it.
Third District Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro Greenberg – Now that she is once again ensconced at the public trough where she’s gorged herself for her entire working life, Mrs. Greenberg’s turkey will have a couple bottles of the purple dye she’s so fond of for her pate. It’s become such a part of her nasty persona, we don’t think we’d recognize her without it.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy – Our two embarrassments in the upper chamber with have their turkeys packaged with two tee-shirts with pointers in opposite directions, and the works “I’m with Stupid” emblazoned on the front.
Gov. Ned Lamont – Now that we’re stuck with our elitist governor for another four years, his turkey will have a list of all the lies he told during the campaign. Like Ko-Ko’s list in the The Mikado, it will be quite a formidable litany.
Zoning Board Member Steve Mullins – The ubiquitous Mullins has been around quite a bit over the last year in various capacities. His turkey will have a collage of all the photos in which his countenance is included over the last year. It took quite a piece of poster board to make it happen.
Businessman Gene Sullivan of Leslie’s Jewelers – The longtime advertise and good friend of ours has moved his establishment to Wagner Place, taking from the Center one of the few remaining successful businesses. We think he’s made a good move, and his turkey will have a congratulatory bottle of bubbly to mark the success.
Longtime reader/friend Patrick Morrissey – Patrick first got into this list as an inside joke about 20 years ago. That joke has continued even as he became a young father and family man. His turkey will have new walking shoes for his long walks along the beach he takes so regularly.
The Simon Group – The erstwhile developer of the Haven Project has been an albatross around the neck of the city for eight years. The members of the group will get turkeys will the 1950s record, “So Long, It’s been Good to Know You.” Let’s hope they “drift along” and become a not-so-fond memory.
City Publicist Mike Walsh – His turkey will have a Christmas ornament fashioned as an old typewriter for all the work he’s done to help the city, despite its many problem.
To all our readers and friends – The hope for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday with family.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,