"Seeing The Big In The Little"

Some writers have the gift for chronicling “The Big.”

I chronicle “The Little.”

Knowing the hidden“Big” that’s inside.

It’s been a rough few years for people who believe that truth counts and facts actually exist.

When did the lights go out in this country?

I go back to this little story, which for me said a detonating,

“Oh, my.”

I don’t know if you’ll remember this.  A reporter at a 2016 Trump campaign rally claimed that Trump’s campaign manager had committed (what was called) “misdemeanor battery” upon her, and had the bruises to prove it.

The backing response from the president for his campaign manager, a thundering blow to the soul, was:

“How do you know those bruises weren’t there before?”

Let’s just ponder that for a second.

PONDERING INTERLUDE…

If I could have had a two-second cable news program, I’d have gone on the air, and said:

“Character matters.”

And then retired immediately from the business. 

Throughout the current presidency, every BREAKING NEWS story is simply a variation of “Character Matters” in differing contexts.

Though they are invariably presented as “Wow!” 

What “Wow”?

“Character matters.”

Where’s all the surprise?

Unfortunately, there are no two-second cable news programs, so I never got on.  Too bad.  I could have rented a suit, taken it back, and got change.

END OF PONDERING INTERLUDE.

Let us now return to this bizarre possibility, offered, straight-faced, as an actual possibility.

“How do you know she didn’t have them before?”

(Let’s be actors.  Pretend we are taking this seriously.)

A female journalist scheduled to cover a Trump rally is home, nursing some bruises.  Normally, it would be, “My luck.  I’m out in public, and look at these bruises!”

Being a professiona she bites the bullet, and heads for the rally. 

After a mildly physical encounter between her and the candidate’s campaign manager, she immediately thinks,

“Awright!  The bruises!”

And she gets him in trouble.

Using the bruises she already had!

(Adding “What a coincidence” in brackets.  Or just a parenthetical guffaw.)

I heard the candidate defend his campaign manager that way, and I thought,

“That is this guy.”

Who became President of the United States.

(I teared up there for a second.) 

Just a little thing… small to say the least…

But the agonized scare I felt hearing that went deep.

Heading towards three years.

And counting.