HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL....

It's been a long time since I last posted anything and it feels like I've abandoned a friend or been absent from the table.  What I have been doing is chaining myself to my desk, or to be more accurate, my laptop.  I'm involved in a big project, writing a non-fiction book - a biography about a missionary doctor in Africa and the people he was forced to abandon.  It's a great deal of work, but extremely satisfying, and I feel a project that is worth the sacrifice to time and effort.

Meanwhile, the world has been up to its usual tricks, with floods and hurricanes and all manner of havoc while I sit at a desk looking out at trees that were flush with leaves at the beginning of this project but are now barren and devoid of colour.  Today the sky is tepid blue with a trace of sunlight. Snow is not far behind and I can only hope that even if we are buried under piles of white stuff, the sun will come out to brighten our world.

What to talk about today.  Well, let's see.  Here in Canada, all the buzz is Rob Ford all the time, until I'm sure we'd all be glad if he just disappeared into the sunset or wild blue yonder or wherever - as long as he's out of our sight and, hopefully, out of mind.  But, Hiz Honour being the proverbial narcissistic, the Ever-Ready bunny who just won't quit, the chance of that happening is about as likely as me being annointed Queen for the Day.

Today I noticed that the Mike Duffy cheque scandal has reared its ugly head again, which brings me back to the Mayor, because there are obvious parallels to explore.  These two men travel on the same train called "Entitlement", their own streetcar of desire,  And they don't care who they take with them on their precarious ride.  This one even has a side car attached to carry The Constant Companion, chief enabler, Dougie.

But let's start with Duffy and the people who are affected by his fiscal feats of dishonesty.  First, there's Nigel Wright, by all accounts a decent man, who presumably thought he was doing a good deed by offering to cover Duff's expenses.  For all we know, Wright may have assumed that he would be paid back, even though the benefactor of his largesse said it was a gift.  As hard as it is to believe that anyone would want to cover someone else's expense claims, filed fraudulently, and in a manner you disagree with, it is just as hard to believe that the recipient would accept the cheque in the first place. 

But who was it that was burned in the process?  Certainly not Duffy who huffed and puffed and threatened to blow the whole house down.  It was Nigel Wright, who did the honourable thing by admitting to his error in judgement and stepping down.

Then the circle widened to include all the people who became involved through no fault or will of their own and who, in hindsight, would have preferred not to be drawn into your mess at all:

The Prime Minister, Senators LeBreton, and Tkachuk and Stewart Olsen, not to mention Wallen and Brazeau, who have their own issues without having Duffy's poison added to the mix.

Does Duffy feel any remorse for having contributed to Mr. Wright losing his job or the Prime Minister having to constantly defend his position and explain the extent of his involvement? None whatsoever.  This puffed-up peacock of pomposity has only remorse for himself - relating only to the fact that he got caught. 

And what of Rob Ford?  For about two seconds, I actualy felt sorry for the man.  Then I gave my head a shake. After all the pundits have had their pity-party, and the blame-game has ended, it all comes down to one person.  It's not the police nor the media who are to blame for Rob Ford's gigantic meltdown.  It all started with him, but it won't end until all his walls come tumbling down.  If not for his own behaviour, a lot of people at City Hall might still have their jobs, Anthony Smith might still be alive, Ford Nation might have some redeeming excuse for electing him, the police and media would not have to be involved and we could all go back to what is really important in life.  Despite all his lies, one thing is true.  This overgrown, narcissistic bully-baby craves the attention.  He has no shame. He's loving it.

The people who were plowed down by this on-coming trainwreck, though, were not so lucky.  In their rush to the station, these two engineers didn't care who was on the tracks.  It wasn't about anybody else.  It was aways all about them.