“Hello, this is Paul,” said the man who answered the phone.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Pam got back to us with the news that we could have about 15 minutes at the former senator’s home on Sunday between 1 and 1:30. She sent a map.
Even with the map we had some trouble finding his road in rural Makanda, and we didn’t pull into his driveway till after 1:15. As we hurriedly unbuckled the kids, he appeared on the porch. The trademark bow tie was unknotted, hanging around an open collar. Our four-year-old daughter was hopping a bit, and after he ushered us inside I had to tell him she needed the toilet. He led the way around the corner, explaining that they’d had some plumbing trouble recently and that he’d have to tinker with it. He entered the bathroom ahead of us and got down on his hands and knees next to the bowl to adjust the valve. Our daughter hovered at his hip, peering over his rounded shoulder–not exactly the scene I’d anticipated. He rose, nodded, and apologized for the delay.
It was after 2 by the time he walked us back out to the driveway. Our two-year-old had been holding our car keys and we couldn’t find them immediately. The former senator cheerfully joined us in a brief, successful search.
