Citizen-Legislator

During this presidential campaign when questions of character seems to get more attention than questions of policy, I was recently reminded of Indiana State Senator Marvin Riegsecker's character at his viewing. He served twenty years before retiring because of his illness.

Senator Riegsecker was a model public servant, or citizen-legislator, as he liked to describe himself. As former pharmacist, he was well trained to listen to the concerns of those he served. His agendas were behind the scenes. He likely did more for children with disabilities than any other member of the legislature, but his contribution never made the front page. He was gentle, modest, friendly, and always proud of the people and community he represented. After two decades he still considered it the greatest privilege of his life.

I believe most elected officials try to emulate these character traits, but they are most often hidden by our interest in simplifying our leaders into sound bites.

A Wonderful Life, Pass it Forward

October 10, 2008
Dear Dick and Susie....unfortunately Sue and I are going to have abandon any immediate future plans to visit your wonderful theatre. I've already called the box office to cancel our last two performances, Kiss Me Kate (October 15) and A Wonderful Life (December 12). I've also called the Inn to cancel our lodging reservations for those two evenings. We wanted to let you know we'd not be using the seats so that your box-office might feel free to open them up for sale to other subscribers or walk-ins.

In brief form, we are both retired and living primarily on our stock market investments and, no doubt, you are as aware as anyone just how bleak, dismal, and very frightening the stock market and economic picture is in the country right now. That coupled with the fact that the market losses are now approaching forty-five percent in the last fourteen months results in our own portfolio being diminished by at least the same percentage. It has forced us to seriously re-evaluate our financial framework. With four dollar gasoline and the growing cash crunch, the rest of your wonderful season has become fiscally out of reach for us and we are deeply disappointed.

We do want you both to know, though, how much we've come to appreciate your beautiful theatre and your top-notch theatrical productions. May we wish you many seasons of much acclaim and may you always "Break a leg!"

Sincerely,
Sue and Curt Forbes

October 11, 2008
Thanks for the email explaining your dilemma. We’ve been reading and preparing for A Wonderful Life and realize it has more meaning today than when the movie came out in 1946: We’re all in this together! We don’t want you to miss Kiss Me Kate or A Wonderful Life. You have tickets. How about we give you free hotel rooms for both shows plus our TANKS for coming offer which is $40 per show in Legal Tender which may be spend on any purchase at Amish Acres including the Theme Buffet or Threshers Dinner or bakery, etc. (Good Christmas shopping). Let me know and we will re-reserve your rooms. Hope you can make it. We appreciate your support and appreciation for our efforts.

October 20, 2008
Good evening, Dick....just a short note to thank you and Susie again for your very kind and generous offer; we sincerely do appreciate it. We are so much looking forward to coming over this next Wednesday evening.

We have long been passionate supporters of the theatrical arts...going all the way back to the early sixties when we were season ticket holders at the Sir Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN, at a time when young newly weds could little afford such an "extravagance". But, would it not have been for those days we would never have had the opportunity to come to know Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy nor would we have seen Ed Harris (a wonderful portrayal in Henry V I think it was. Mr. Harris essentially got his start at the Guthrie and we have followed his career for years. We were at the Guthrie for one of Mr. Cronyn's and Ms. Tandy's last performances in Foxfire and it was a bittersweet evening, indeed.

I've lost count of the number of shows I've directed on the high school stage, the college stage and on the community theatre stage, but for all that time in the theatre, we've never grown tired of it. How could one? Sue and I have been side by side for years...she producing many of my shows and we were co-founders of the Princeton Drama Workshop ( a community theatre) in our Minnesota days. I guess it runs pretty deep in our blood.

Enough rambling....this was intended to be a thank you note when I started out. So, thank you, again. Your generosity couldn't help but remind me of a favorite line from The Music Man; it makes us think of you kindness, "They'll give you their back and the shirt to go with it...."

Best regards,
Sue and Curt Forbes

PS: Speaking of The Music Man...have you and Susie ever had the opportunity to tour the small (very small, but delightful) museum housed in the UCC church in Mason City, Iowa? A pastor friend and his wife of ours was recently pastor of the church (he's now retired) which was the home church of Meredith Willson. Mr. Willson's mother was the Sunday School Superintendent there for many years and donated many items of wonderful memorabilia open to the public. A great little way to spend a couple hours on an afternoon!