116. New Ground To Plow

Last week the Kentucky Democratic Party State Central Executive Committee met and affirmed gubernatorial nominee Steve Beshear's recommendations for State Party Chair and Vice Chair. Jonathan Miller and Jennifer Moore were elected to those respective positions by a unanimous vote. There were congratulations to the newcomers and good-byes to the outgoing chair, my friend Jerry Lundergan. At the end of the day as the parking lot was beginning to clear, Lundergan and I embraced, wished each other well, provided mutual assurances of aid in times of need, and then Jerry pulled away with the exclamation "Off to plow new ground!" much like Santa Claus' "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!" Lundergan, someone I supported, was a polarizing chair of the Party for a little under 2 and 1/2 years, and had now left the premises to plow some new ground, and being the aggressive and successful businessman he is, he will no doubt do just that.

For me plowing new ground is much less aggressive, and the pay is far less - typically zero. It mostly involves playing pianos I come across "in the public domain," so to speak. I've written before of this affliction. I found new ground to plow over the weekend at a fundraiser I attended for John Yarmuth, my congressman, at the home of Chris Poynter, a writer formerly with the Courier-Journal, who presently works "as hard as I ever have," as he told me sometime last week, working as a PR person for His Honor, the Mayor of Louisville-Jefferson County Metro.

I had noticed the piano upon entering the house amid the 50 or so folks there helping to re-elect the congressman we so very recently helped to elect back in November, 2006. A friend of mine, knowing my preoccupation with the palying of the ivories, asked me if I intended to play. I was awaiting the host to see if he himself so intended. Eventually he did, playing just one song. After he departed the bench, in a deferential voice, I enquired as to permission to assume the bench and tickle the ivories. With Chris' encouragement, I did so. I learned he had only acquired the piano a month earlier and was engaged in piano lessons, something I never did. While playing, I was joined briefly by the Congressman, who hummed along with my rendition of Paul Anka's "My Way." After John vacated, I was next joined by former State Senator Lindy Casebier, a trained musician to whom I eventually yielded the entire bench as his playing is far more listenable [note: new word] than mine. Before long there was an entire chorus singing a few lines from a variety of classics, all pleased with the opportunity to sing for a Congressman.

Ah, the life of a plowman.