Copyright © Jeff Hampton 2016
GRANDPA JACK
Unconventional convention
Jack Dodger, an unlikely third party presidential candidate, doesn't have a national party convention at which to make his case, but his campaign team finds another way for him to connect with young voters.
On the Friday morning after the convention concluded in Los Angeles, the Dodger-Lee campaign shifted back into high gear with rallies at Fisherman's Wharf and Golden Gate Park. With the major party conventions over, the media was back in full force and eager to get Jack's assessment.
"What'd you think of the conventions?" they asked him.
"I think they were marvelous," he said. "The candidates spelled out who they are, their philosophies, and what they want to do. The commentators griped that the conventions are too staged, but I believe they are still very important to our process. I hope everyone took the time to watch them or read about them in the newspapers. It's important to know what the candidates stand for."
"Do you feel at a disadvantage not having that type of national exposure?"
"Oh, I don't know. We're working hard in our own way to meet people. We don't have a big show, but I'd say we're still reaching a lot of folks with our message. At least, when I'm speaking to a group in person, I know I've got their attention. They're not switching channels or slipping out to the kitchen for a sandwich."
The day was long and full, and Jack was showing signs of fatigue when Billy announced that they had one more engagement. Jack let out a deep sigh. "Who's the audience? What's the topic?" he asked.
"Don't know yet. Actually, it's more of a Q and A type event."
"How many folks you expecting?"
"Don't know that for sure either. Could be a handful, or could be thousands."
Jack looked at Billy with a puzzled expression. "Do you at least know where it is?"
"Sure. It's at UC Berkeley, in the main library," said Billy.
"Oh, well that sounds nice. It'll be good to see young folks in the audience for a change."
That's when Billy laid out the rest of the plan. "Actually, you won't be seeing anyone. You're going to talk to college students online."
"Online? You mean in one of those chatterboxes?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Billy laughed. "And they are called chat rooms, not chatterboxes. It'll be fun. All you have to do is sit in front of a computer and type answers to questions that come across the screen."
That evening Jack, Billy, Hamilton, and Wilton crossed the bay to Berkeley where they were directed to a computer terminal in the library. A student facilitator helped Jack get situated in front of the monitor. The others stood behind him or pulled up chairs to watch over his shoulder.
"I'll get you started," the student said, and with a few quick keystrokes and mouse clicks, the terminal was connected to the Internet and, then, to a Web site that had been set up for the event.
"There you go," he said. "Just start typing."
"But ... how do I know there's anyone out there?" Jack asked.
"Oh, you'll know," said the student, who patted Jack on the shoulder and then disappeared into the stacks.
Jack looked at the screen helplessly for a moment, and then he began typing.
Jack: Hello?
hello
hi
hey
howdy
what's up
Jack: This is Jack Dodger.
hey, jack
good evening
Hello, Mr. Dodger.
the jackster
what's up
Jack: Sorry, I'm a little slwo at theis. Hope you cand read my poor typng.
itz cool mr jack just let your fingers fly
yea don't worry about it out here on the web spelling and punctuation don't matter
Oh yes it does!
no it dosn t susie q. short and sweet is key
and fast. very fast. donmt back up to fixit just keep moving just let it come and will know what you say
Jack: Well, that's very interesting. Is it just on the web that spelling and puncutatiun don't matter, oris it that way every where you go?
we gotta spell right in shcool of course, but then we get out here and life is too fast toi worry about it
lets just say we're more informal than the oldies and iut spills over to a lot of what we do
I try to spell correctly always.
who asked you
Jack: I believ I did. So whty are you so informal? What's different about life today that makes you so?
everything is sped up
Its fastpaced.
No time to lose
snooze & lose
go slow and grow mold
our lives are moving at 56k+, our folks had it more like 14k
mine move at 1k
Jack: Does that bother you? That life is so fast?
no
Yes!
No
don't know any different
who really cares anyeway
I do!
hey jack I thought you were dead, thought you died in DC or something
Jack: No, I just fainted. But thanks for asking.
oh
gotta read the paper guy
Jack: So what else are you wiorried about?
getting a job
gettin a good job
being successful
Having what my parents have.
like a new car
making it to 30
Jack: 30? Really? just 30?
i'd settle for 27
you from the hood?
no i'm from burbia
then whats your beef
its all out of control
Jack: Out of control? Do you really feel that way.
yes
sometimes
mostly
often
Yes
Jack: That's interesting. You see, when I was growing up ...
you walked 20 miles in the snow right
don't be rude
Jack: As I was saying, when I was growing up, I had much of the same kind of feeling.
oh sure
Let the man talk!
Jack: Seriously, I did. I came up at a time of high anxietry and uncertainty. We weren't worried about life moving too fast; we were worried about life grinding to a halt. People couldnb't find jobs. Couldn't feed their families. Some people liveds on the street or itn their cars, if they ahd one. It was tough. people felt they had nbo control.
i slept in my car once
No, he's serious, I've read about this. It was hard.
would you please go away
yea but it was different, not at all like us
Jack: You're half right. It was very different, and yet it was the same, because the emotion was the same. Just like tyou, people lived with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.
really?
Jack: Really.
so what you do
yea what
tell it preacher
Jack: We just kept pushjing and working and moving forward one step at a time until we climbed out of the hole we were in. Some folks even figured out new and better ways to do things. Main thing is we nevber gave up. We just kept trying. We helped each other along. And you can do the same.
why should I try when dropouts are becoming dotcom zillionares every day
That's part of the problem - incentives are all cock-eyed. Why spend years studying in school to get a degree not worth the paper it's printed on
really
Jack: Now I'm not just talking about being financialluy successful. Nothing wrong with that. Gotta feed yourself and your family. What I'm talking about is learning how to be happy and confident wherever you are, whatever you do.
i don't care too much for money, cause money can't buy me love
where'd that come from
Beatles, ever heard of em, or is your cd stack two weeks old like you
oh yeah the FABasauruses give me a break those guys are older than my dad
Why are you so rude?
Jack: The Beatles were after my time, so they're not so old. But the words you quoted are on target. Money can't buy love.
or happiness
health
peace of mind
Jack: Exactly. And money isn't the reason you shoudl stay in school. You should stay in school to find out whoi you are, what you canm do, what you like and don't like. Then you focus in and build on your natueral skills so that you can go out and do something meaningful and exciting with your life. And that's how where you find happiness. Not in what is printed on a paycheck, but in the quality of way you spend your time.
The chat rambled on for an hour in which Jack sought answers to as many questions as he was asked. It was organized chaos, with the topic changing rapidly and people logging on and off all the time. Jack was in the middle of an explanation of his philosophy of public service when the student facilitator suddenly reappeared and tapped on his watch.
Jack: Looks like our time here is about up.
any last ideas for us rookies?
Jack: Yes. This computer and this web is a wonderful tool. It's amazing what we can do with it. It's amazing what we've been doing here tonight. But try to remember that it is just a tool. Don't let it become your life, don't let it become your only contact with the world. Use it as you need to, but then push away and turn it off. Go outside and watch a sunset, read a book, go to a museum, visit family and friends, help a stranger. Life's too short and precious to waste it sitting in front of a computer. Lastly, never go to bed angry, and never start a day without thanking Almighty God for another chance to give it another try, another chance to use the extraordinary gifts he's given you. Every new day is a blessing, and every new day should be treated as such.
Amen
yo Jack
Thank you Mr. Dodger
Bye
later
Jack: Goodnight.
And just as quickly as it started, the chat ended, and the nameless participants disappeared into the cyber void. Jack leaned back in his chair and rubbed his fingers. "I'm exhausted."
The student facilitator leaned over him and clicked through a few menus until he opened a diagnostic screen. "I'd say you did very well tonight, Mr. Dodger."
"How so?"
"Looks like you had about nine thousand people log in."
"Nine thousand? Are you sure? It felt like less than twenty."
"No, nine thousand, and that's just the live chat," the student said. "We'll post a transcript on our website by morning, and people worldwide will have access. Could be hundreds of thousands ... even millions."
"Remarkable!" said Jack. "Simply remarkable. Maybe we've had our own convention after all."
Jack went to bed that night uplifted and with a sense of peace that win or lose, he was indeed part of an extraordinary process.
