A Pleasant Sight in a Federal Office

This morning I visited the Sarasota Resident Agent office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. My visit was the first time since January 20, 2009, that I had entered any office maintained by the Federal government. For 8 disgustingly long years beginning on January 20, 2001, when anyone walked into any Federal office anywhere in the country they were confronted with a picture of Chimpy McFlightsuit smirking back at all who entered. In my old office building in Arlington, Virginia, we also had a picture of his crime-ridden partner Dick Cheney, the man with a permanent snarl. These pictures usually hung behind the rent-a-cops at the front door of most Federal office buildings.

Today, however, on walking into the FBI office I was greeted by the smiling face of the eloquent, educated adult who now adorns the White House. What a refreshing change of scenery.

I remember in 1981 when the Director of the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center was ordered by the Washington Office to hang a picture of Ronald "Darth" Reagan somewhere on the wall of the main office at the Center. Rey reluctantly put the picture up by the reception counter next to the front door. I stayed late that night and was the last person to leave the building. The next morning on entering the Center, Rey found the picture of Reagan laying face first on the floor and the pane of glass inside the frame was shattered.

Rey immediately suspected me (ME!!) of having caused the picture to fall off the wall. Of course I knew absolutely nothing about this unfortunate incident. Rey didn't believe me either, but said "Well, I take this as an omen and I'm not putting it back up." For the rest of my time at Northern Prairie that caricature didn't haunt anyone entering or leaving the building. Another of my fondest accomplishments in the Federal government.

Sometimes I wish I was still working for the Fish and Wildlife Service simply so I could walk in the office every morning and see Barack smiling back at me. Maybe when I need a fix now I'll just dart down to the local FBI office and hang out for a minute.