There is no question that the upcoming USA presidential election (the 60th quadrennial) on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 is of incomparable interest throughout the world. Keeping in mind however that the Universe is ultimately personal, my especial interest in the election surrounds not its political platforms rather my acquaintance with Americans whom I have met throughout my life. The upcoming election is guaranteed to be a reflection upon the American people, a signal of a global agenda and an unqualified estimate of the republic and democracy. Though the election, in its broadest terms, is a contest primarily between Democrats and Republicans, or what some prefer to characterize as a contest between socialism and capitalism, government interference or freedom from government, liberal and conservative, left and right, I on the other hand think of nothing but the nature of my relationships with the Americans whom I have met.  And broadly speaking the nature of those relationships has been positive and gratifying.

republic, based on the Latin phrase res publica (‘entity/concern of the people/public’ or ‘public affair’), is a state in which political power rests with the public through their representatives—in contrast to a monarchy.

I first went to America when I was about 8 years old (having previously lived in England and Nova Scotia).  Our residence in Washington DC was at 4412 Edmunds St NW, about a block from then Vice-President Richard Nixon whose daughter Julie and I attended Horace Mann Elementary School in Mrs. McGee’s classroom.  Our neighbours included Dr. and Mrs. Cox whose son-in-law I believe was a lawyer indicted (and may even have gone to gaol) as a result of his involvement in the Watergate scandal. Dr. Cox showed me how to feed peanuts to Red Cardinals from his hand on his backyard patio overlooking the garden. On the same street (Forest Lane NW) as Nixon was the family of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Reasoner with whose numerous children (and their maid Florence) my sister and I frequently visited and played together. When not at the country club in Bethesda, Maryland we swam in their newly constructed in-ground pool (which Mr. and Mrs. Reasoner regularly regarded during the cocktail hour from their bedroom balcony ). It was the first time I wore a black Speedo bathing suit which later became tarnished green by the chlorine. We frequented the adjoining ravine and searched for salamanders. In the Reasoners’ rumpus room adjoining the pool was a large wooden box from which we retrieved toys. I recall in particular the bouncing rubber ball. The large house had wall-to-wall grey carpeting throughout. We occasionally frequented the upstairs bedrooms.  When we once peeked into the spacious master bedroom we saw a draft oil painting of Mrs. Reasoner on an easel. There was a huge glass blown jar with a narrow neck by the front door of the house.  The jar was full of pennies. We always sought to add more to the collection.

I recall during our residency in Washington DC having gone to Florida for winter holidays. We rented a small house by the Ocean and spent our days at the beach. I do not recall having met anyone there.

It wasn’t until I had completed my studies in Halifax, Nova Scotia at Dalhousie Law School (which by the way is the oldest law school in the British Empire but eclipsed by Harvard Law School in North America) and began practicing law that I returned to America.  Until then my travels had been confined to Canada and Europe where my parents lived; or the usual haunts such as Mexico and the Caribbean. Apart from short visits to Chicago or New York City, it wasn’t until I developed a passion for Labour Day Weekend (and the following weeks) on Cape Cod that I met my friends Rocci F and John P who coincidentally are both from Washington DC.  That was about the year 1976.  We continue to communicate with one another to this day.

In 2012 my brother-in-law Dr. Rick H and his wife Esther recommended we go to Hilton Head Island. There we met Gail E who to this day is our thoroughly reliable and trustworthy Estate Agent. We spoke with her as recently as several days ago regarding our upcoming winter plans for 2025.

In 2014 I retired and for the next decade (interrupted briefly by Covid-19) we spent 6 months each year in the United States of America. During that period we frequented Hilton Head Island, Daytona Beach Shores, Longboat Key and Key Largo.  In each of those places we have made acquaintances and friends with Americans with whom we continue to communicate. By coincidence as well Bill G (Hilton Head Island) and Colin D (Lighthouse Point, FLA) are both colleagues of mine from boarding school (1963) at St. Andrew’s College in Canada. In addition we’ve met (and variously visited or corresponded with) Debbie B and Janice D (Hilton Head Island), Diana K, George and Nancy S, Carol Lee W et famille, Dr. George and Roberta G (Longboat Key), Diane C, Don D, Dan F, Joe and Debbie W and Don and Carol S (Key Largo).

The point of all these reminiscences is that without exception the Americans whom I have met and with whom I have become acquainted then and over the years are kind and generous people. While it is trite to observe that the scope of acquaintance is limited, it is nonetheless significant and paramount that all of the relationships are not only sociable but intelligent, inspiring and memorable. When it comes to saying, “I’ve got your back!” there is no denying the advantage. Lest there be any misapprehension I can assure you as well that differences have arisen from time to time between me and my American friends.  Whether it is peculiar to me alone I do not know, but I don’t believe I have any friends on any continent with whom I have not had differences. In fact, if it were otherwise, I might well be inclined to discredit the strength of the bond.  As it is however I and my American friends have surmounted whatever may have been our dispute and settled instead for what constitutes the more promising connection of perseverance. I most certainly do not regard the upcoming election outcome as persuasive of my relationships with Americans. As I said from the outset, the acquaintances and the politics are separate.  I might nonetheless usefully observe that as a matter of social grace it is probably well-founded to keep one’s nose out of other people’s politics. Foremost the alliances are irrelevant. Like a religious belief, it is highly unlikely that a political belief will contaminate a sustainable relationship.  If it does, the problem probably isn’t politics.