It was quite a week! On Tuesday, I had lunch with State Representative David Leitch. We had a wonderful conversation about just what I wanted to be able to accomplish as a newly appointed city of Peoria member of the Mayor’s Commission on the Disabled. Then after arriving home, I received a phone call from the retired US Representative Lane Evans inviting me to come to visit him in his home in the Quad Cities. I had not seen Lane since the victory party for his aide and friend Phil Hare who is now serving in the United States Congress. It had
nearly killed me to see this once vigorous and vital man having to face what is in store for most of us. But he never whimpered or whined even when people forgot themselves and tried to tell him an hour long story in one sitting! Lane is just the kinda guy who loves people of all kinds and draws strength from the energy that crowds radiate.
My girlfriend picked me up and we were off on a beautiful spring day. I must admit to being somewhat nervous about seeing Lane again. Would the PD have made further inroads? And I was wondering if he would like the gift that I had made for him?
We found his home easily and there was Cher, his private nurse, standing at the driveway, waving us in. Inside, Lane was standing and looking fit and healthy.
After hugs and introductions all around, I gave him the gift that I had worked on so patiently. I owned an original Meet the Beatles sweatshirt that I had worn to death. The elbows were gone, the cuffs were gone and the back was shredded but miraculously, the old picture of the Beatles was still intact. A seamstress friend had rescued the picture and sewed it like a patch across one of my black jackets and I was trying to keep it in ok shape. Well, I got a scissors and cut the patch off of the jacket leaving a bit of the black fabric and carefully taped it to a piece of cardboard an d framed the fabric art. I know how much Lane loved the Beatles and just as I suspected, Lanes eyes lit up when he opened it.
I told him that the House of Representatives was going to name a Post Office after him, but I had given him a Beatles treasure! It will go in the dining room where he has put all of his Beatle memorabilia.
We talked and we talked, even though he’d had a busy week and he would on occasion nod off.
It made me feel right at home where my kids loose interest in anything I have to say.
We did however, have some pretty lively and interesting conversations…I think that he was more comfortable now being just average joe citizen.
He wanted me to be sure to send his greeting and regards to all whom he had known during his Washington tenure (and a special hello to Perry Cohen ).
I am happy now that I have seen for myself that he is in good spirits and is being cared for by a caring professional. We’re going back for the Post Office dedication!
If you would like to see pictures of Lane Evans, please go to our website at:
www.calipso-pd.org
Also, we will soon be putting up a memory book that we made and presented to Lane so check back in a week or so.