She couldn't stop thinking about him, the quiet man in the black sweater, the image of calm, perseverance, and intelligence in the face of lies and unprovoked accusations.
He didn't shout.
He didn't insult or accuse.
He didn't back down.
He was calm and assertive during the attack, resolute and clear.
They didn't hear him because they weren't listening. They were cloaked as mafioso, performing for the media, unafraid and self-righteous because they believed they held all the power--and the cameras were rolling. They'd show the quiet man . . . they'd show the world . . . who had power, who was right by golly, and they were undeterred by their unfounded accusations.
"You never said 'thank you!'" the Consigliere shouted, a phrase dredged up from playground fights (a time when memory was short, self-serving, vocabulary was limited, and facts irrelevant).
"How dare you disrespect the Oval Office," the Capo shouted to the man who sat quietly and composed.
The quiet man did speak--or tried to. He defended himself and his country, refuted the accusations, and, again, showed the power of calm and self-control in the face of unprovoked assault.
The score? Depends on whose counting, but she'd vote for the quiet man every time.
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for capturing this scene so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Nora
ReplyDeleteIt showed that it’s not the decibels of the voice but rather it’s the substance of what the voice iterates
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it!!!
ReplyDeleteSomehow, this story is all too familiar. I can almost visualize the scene so clearly and hear the voices. Your skills at storytelling continue to capture the senses and the essence of our lives. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDelete