My mind has this way of wandering vast distances at the strangest times.
Today it did that. I thought of two old friends as I was pondering the state of political play in this country, and the presidential transition we’re all about to witness.
Their names are Buddy Seewald and Virgil Van Camp. They died within days of each other in September 2013 here in the Texas Panhandle. They came to my mind for two vastly different reasons.
One of them is the hostility that exists between individuals and groups of opposing points of view. I’ll get to the second reason momentarily.
Buddy and Virgil were total opposites politically. Buddy was a flaming liberal political activist; Virgil was a staunch conservative who wasn’t politically active, but who had strong views on the world … as did Buddy.
They were partners in a feature we used to publish at the Amarillo Globe-News. We called it Point/Counterpoint. They would argue opposing points of view on subjects we would select in advance.
They also were friends. They harbored no ill will toward each other. We’d meet for lunch every few weeks to discuss upcoming topics. They got along famously.
I think of them as I compare that relationship with the non-relationships that exist these days between liberals and conservatives. I think of them when I hear politicians on one side refer to those on the side as the “enemy.”
Buddy and Virgil would rise up out of their respective graves — if only they could.
I wrote about them in an earlier blog post, paying tribute to their civility and their collegiality. I wish they were around today to share that sense of decency with you all.
https://highplainsblogger.com/2013/09/there-goes-another-good-man/
Near the end of that earlier blog post, I mentioned something else that makes me think of them today.
We heard lots of thunder around here over the weekend. My thought in this Sept 17, 2013 post was that I would think of Buddy and Virgil the next time I heard a clap of thunder, as it likely signaled an argument between them from on high.
I recalled that earlierĀ observation as I listened to the thunder roll across the High Plains.
That had to be Buddy and Virgil arguing — without a doubt — about the pros and cons of the upcoming presidential administration.
I am absolutely certain they threw their arms around each other whenĀ the storm passed.
I still miss these two friends terribly.