\nMiguel (his name wasn’t actually Miguel) was three years older than I was. He was an American living on the US base I also lived on 1983-85. To my knowledge, he lived there 1982-1984.<\/p>\n
\nMiguel and I had almost nothing in common. Our most obvious difference was that he’d been brought up to act and dress like an adult, even from childhood. At age 16, he would laugh a little at ironic situations, but his bearing was serious. He wore neat, dressy clothes, and his hair was always groomed. He was like a military man, but off-duty, even at age 16.<\/p>\n
\nI, from a farming village, didn’t spend much time on my appearance, nor was I big on poise. I thought those tendencies suggested vanity and self-importance. Whoever was right, the world I live in now seems to favour Miguel’s point of view.<\/p>\n
\nMiguel’s mother was political. For instance, she tried at one point to block Canadian family members from getting civilian jobs on the base. Her point was that since the base was American, only Americans should be eligible for those jobs. This caused some friction, since her across-the-street neighbour was an outspoken German woman whose husband, a French Canadian in the Canadian Forces, was stationed there. Their sons got a lot of employment around the base. To my knowledge, I don’t think Miguel’s mother’s petition was successful. Importantly, though, she thought politically, and passed that to her sons.<\/p>\n
\nI think Miguel’s mother – and therefore Miguel – was way ahead of her time: everyday life has gotten much more political than in the mid 80s. A mere seven years after I saw Miguel for the last time – his father got transferred elsewhere – the term “politically correct” arose.<\/p>\n
\nDid Miguel’s mother (and perhaps father as well) predict the growing importance of being political? If so, they were much smarter, in that way, than my family.<\/p>\n
\nI was in the same crowd with Miguel on many occasions. He was always polite to me, but I could tell he only tolerated me. I get why: I could do nothing for him. I didn’t understand any of this then, but in the decades since, Miguel has been a great teacher of mine, albeit only from memories of him.<\/p>\n
I wouldn’t be surprised if Miguel went on to politics or a big career in the US Navy: I lost track of him the minute he left the base. Today, I’m grateful I met him: he was an early example of what politicians are really like. Nowadays, being surrounded by them, it’s good to have a tried-and-true exemplar:)<\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Self-tutoring about people and events from the past: the tutor mentions Miguel. Miguel (his name wasn’t actually Miguel) was three years older than I was. He was an American living on the US base I also lived on 1983-85. To …<\/p>\n