Photo by TJ Sullivan
The envelope felt funny, padded, like it contained a lacy undergarment, or a whoopee cushion, or so I guessed.
Though addressed to yours truly, the sender's name was unfamiliar.
Grace Friedman?
Who is Grace Friedman?
Inside the packet I found a potholder [see photo above], and the answer.
Grace Friedman is the 92-year-old mother of Jonathan Friedman. And, as Jonathan's mom explains in the letter that accompanied the potholder, she wants me to vote for her son in Tuesday's special election.
Here's a snippet from the letter:
Dear Neighbor:Isn't the enclosed potholder a much better way of getting people to remember my son's name � Jonathan Friedman, the best Democrat for State Senate � than posting unsightly signs on telephone poles and construction sites in our wonderful neighborhood?"
As far as political gimmickry goes, this one was good for a grin, and it worked. I fell for it. I'm writing about it.
Besides that, we're cooking a lot more meals in the Sullivan family kitchen these days (all of them) and we needed another potholder.
So, thanks, I guess, to Jonathan's mom, who, incidentally, was born in my hometown of Detroit. I'm not endorsing anyone in this race, but, well, I'm sure I'll think of her and her son every time I make eggs for at least the next few months.