Dateline Boston — I met a man on an airplane about eight years ago, and we hit it off. He asked me to write for his newspaper, in Op-Ed, and I took him up on his offer. I write essays about whatever is happening in my life at any given time. I usually keep it light.
Over the years, Editor and I have become friends, though I’ve only seen him in person twice. We email back and forth weekly, and discuss various things. Except politics. We don’t talk politics. When I met Editor, Barack Obama had just become the President of the United States, and I was thrilled. Editor was not. I found out he was a Republican. Uh-oh. I am a Democrat.
I don’t agree with many things that are posted in the online newspaper that I write for. When Trump won the election, I panicked. I wrote to Editor—I had to know. Did the man I really like and have worked for for almost 10 years vote for Donald Trump, a man who makes me physically ill whenever I hear him talk? I asked him directly.
He answered by not answering. I couldn’t reconcile myself to the thought that he voted for someone I think is not smart, petty, crass, gropes women and brags about it, etc. Did he not see what I saw? I told him I needed to take a break from writing.
That lasted a week. Last week, I decided to run the essay I wrote when we first met. When I read it, it warmed my heart. I can’t “unfriend” someone because of who they voted for. What I want most is to have lunch with Editor again, so we can talk in person about our thoughts. Alas, he’s in the west, and I’m in the east. Perhaps some day.
Editor told me that all views are welcome in his paper. Great. I’m absolutely sure that Trump was the wrong choice for our President. Editor is still my friend, and I will continue to write, while I make donations to the ACLU.
Ms. Vaillancourt may be contacted at snobbyblog@gmail.com
