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August 27, 1700, observation by best man Chase Untermeyer

ERIC:

As your unpaid media advisor, I’d say you have a self-fulfilling complaint:  By attacking the Minshews and Langworthys for not printing your stuff, you’re guaranteeing that they’ll never print your stuff.  David hasn’t always run everything I’ve sent him over time, and I’m a graduate of the Chronk.  You may have soured them on you forever, but it’s not too late to cool it, while still sending them things they want to read.

Thanks for the call this afternoon.

CHASE.

August 27, 1715, aside to Gentle Reader

Gentle Reader, do you see why I love Chase?  He is concerned for me, his friend, and doesn’t mention the embarrassment my individualism might cause him.  He truly esteems the talent of your merely efficient captain.  The first time I talked with him I came up with an idea that ran in the Wall Street Journal within a month.  After I got the boot from a job in corporate PR, he hooked me up with NBC, Compaq, the works.  I lived off his patronage for a year or two.  He is the truest, kindest and sagest person I know.  He’s always straight to the point.  He’s seen me through into thick and out of thin.  But for all his qualities, bless his heart, he doesn’t have a clue, so I’m about to mess with his world view.  I’m hoping for the best from a collaborative effort – I make my alliances on the fly, because to sit still is to lose momentum.

I don’t know about all that lion and lamb embedding the gospels talk about, because it seems like a better deal for the lion than the lamb, but I’ll see if I can’t make this a lion and a fox tandem with my somewhat limited but altogether admirable friend, who is far away the better man of the two of us.  If you ever want to know the best things about me, ask Chase Untermeyer.  If you want the worst, ask my second wife.

Captain May

August 27, 1730, email to Best Man Chase Untermeyer

Well said, Herr Untermeyer, well said.  But (you knew the word would come shortly) I don't care for the regard of all the Minshews, unLangworthies and Michels of the world.  The fact of the matter is that they're abetting the violation of the Constitution by refusing to report matters of the most immediate and dire national consequence:  The commander in chief is a fraud, a frail con-man like The Great Oz.  If I'm wrong, call your guy, George W., and tell him that the man at whose wedding you were best man really takes his duty as an officer seriously, so seriously that he wore his dress blues to his wedding.  Further, tell him that until he gives explanation for his actions to my satisfaction, I will be in a state of rebellion against his tyranny.

Chase, why am I repeating all this?  I already wrote it in my Philippic to the Bushling.  If I'm wrong I'll cease, desist and check into the nearest mental hospital that will still let me practice my long staff.  If I'm right, then kindly get in the fight.  I gave you that book of Roosevelt for a reason, you know:  Remember that in every man's life there comes a moment when he will have to charge for justice, or cower in the shadows from the light cavalry.  If you don't know which of us is right, then you are remiss for not making inquiries, sir, for you are a man of connection and influence.  Chase, when you volunteered to be my best man you were saying you were up to a job, and when you asked for acknowledgement of your influence over my ideas, you were asking for work.  Do your duty, sir.  I am reminding you of your oath of commissioning, the same as mine.  I am reactivating you in the absence of a legitimate national authority as Lieutenant Untermeyer, US Navy.  Given that I am your superior in time in grade, which is the criterion for command, I appoint you to the position of executive officer, Ghost Troop, 3/7 Cavalry.  Your first duty is to get to the bottom of things so that you can either convince me to stop or convince yourself to start!

My best regards, as always, and my compliments to the ladies Untermeyer.

E. May

 

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