Street Judge by Greg Mathis

Author:Greg Mathis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Strebor Books
Published: 2008-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

MY WIFE WON’T UNDERSTAND

Here I am again, on the eleventh floor of city hall, I said to myself as I sat in front of his desk. It wasn’t the same mahogany executive desk that at one time engulfed a portion of the spacious office. This one was modern glass. On my very first visit, I remembered seeing plaques, what seemed like hundreds, which acknowledged nearly two decades of accomplishments. There were still commemorative inscriptions, but far fewer, and they hung on the opposite wall. The only thing that looked the same was the large picture window, which offered a splendid view of the Detroit River, and the skyline of Windsor, Canada.

When I first entered that office several years prior, the most powerful mayor in the country had summoned me. At that time I couldn’t believe that this man was about to offer me a position on his staff. As the first black mayor of Detroit, Coleman Young was a force; he was the only mayor in these United States that presidents feared. The men who occupied the office of the presidency while Young reigned as mayor knew that when he came to town, he didn’t come to hear the bullshit—he came to get results. Neither before, nor since, has there ever been an elected official who had the balls to curse out the top man in the country. No one was too good to be called a muthafucker as far as Coleman Alexander Young was concerned, not even the president. Hell, he called himself, Mr. Motherfucker!

My reminiscing had to be put on hold as Mayor Aaron Dennis entered his office. I didn’t bother looking over my shoulder as he approached. I simply waited for him to step to his desk before I would get to my feet and extend a hand to him.

Dennis was on his second term and was looking to push for a third. But he was beginning to develop an annoying arrogance—one which had become apparent to his supporters and political opponents alike. Once a prudent and extremely likable politician, his newfound egotism had caused him to be reckless both politically and privately.

The media knew that they could get under his skin by simply referring to him as the second-most powerful man in the city. When the papers were fed up with his rants or his strong-arming, they would immediately put him in his place by stating fact: His biggest supporter was the most powerful man in the city. The press would insist that if Gram Olson wanted the mayor out of office, he would be out.

“Hello, Mayor,” I said as we firmly gripped each other’s hand.

“Judge, I’m sorry that we’re meeting under these circumstances. Did you get a chance to view the tape that I forwarded to your office?” he asked as we both made ourselves comfortable.

“Yes…” was my disgruntled reply.

“I had no idea what it was until I looked at it,” the mayor whispered. “Why would it be sent to me?” he questioned as if he expected that I would have a logical answer.

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