As we drove over the next morning, Marilyn asked, "Do you know what Brewster has in mind?"
I shook my head. "Not a clue, but he is having way too much fun with this. He's got something big planned."
"He's like an evil puppeteer!", she said, laughing, her hands making controlling motions over an invisible marionette.
"And I'm the puppet!", I agreed.
I wasn't surprised when the campaign staffers applauded when we entered the campaign office, and then Brewster yelled out, "I give you the next Congressman for the Maryland Ninth!", which got me another round of cheers and applause.
"Thank you! Thank you! Now let's make sure this happens!", I said back, smiling. "What do I need to do to help you do that?!" I wandered around asking what people were up to and making encouraging noises. You have to make sure the 'little people' know they're appreciated, because there are no little people. The lowest level person in an organization, any organization, can screw things up royally if they get pissed at you. If you start treating them as little, you will be sorry, and sooner rather than later!
At half past, Brew bundled us back outside and into my car. "Will you tell me what is going on?", I asked.
He smiled at me. "We are going over to the Westminster Diner for a press conference..."
"At the diner?"
" ... where the Chief of Police is going to endorse you for Congress!"
"Holy crap! That's my first endorsement, isn't it?"
Brew nodded. "With this one, I bet we can get a bunch of others. We're also going to announce a $5,000 contribution to the local women's shelter, and Nick and the waitress are going to be there, too."
"Well, haven't you been a busy little beaver.", I told him.
"So get in the car and drive!", he ordered.
I got in the car, and turned to Marilyn. "Did you bring the checkbook? Chuckles here is enjoying himself so much he never mentioned bringing the checkbook!"
"Drive!", ordered Brew. "And think of something nice to say on camera. 'Thank you!' would be appropriate."
"Screw you, Brewster.", I said with a laugh.
It was only a few minutes to the Westminster Diner, and it was obvious that Brewster McRiley really had been a busy little beaver! There was a podium with several microphones on it out in front of the diner, with a Westminster Police car to the side, and several cameras in front, in position to catch both the diner and the police car in the background. Both WMAR and WBAL had vans in the back of the parking lot, and there were heavy electric cables running around the area.
There were several people in the doorway to the diner I recognized. Nick Papandreas was in a suit that looked a touch tight around his middle, Amy was looking nervous and had a large white bandage on the side of her head, and the Westminster Chief of Police, George Tilden, was standing there and drinking from a cup of coffee. I waved at them, but Brew held me back from going over to say hello. Both Amy and Nick waved back, and George nodded and gave me a two fingered salute.
Instead, Brewster went over to the trio and spoke to them, mostly to George, but also to Nick and Amy, gesturing towards the podium. Then he went over to a couple of television reporters, and after talking to them, moved out of the way. Suddenly, a pair of camera operators lifted their cameras and lights came on. For the next five minutes the on-air talent talked to the cameras and adjusted their hair and then did it all again. I assumed that this would end up being cut and edited before it actually went on the air.
Then it was time, and George strode up to the podium and set some papers on it. George was about ten years older than Marilyn and I, and I had met him several times over the last few years, usually when he was accepting a check for the police fund. Now it looked like it had been money well spent! Brewster whispered for Marilyn and me to move into the shot, but to stay back and to the side of George.
George glanced down at his speech, but then looked up and waited for the red lights to light up on the cameras. Then he started talking. "Thank you for coming. My name is Captain George Tilden, and I am the Chief of Police of the Westminster Police Department. Two nights ago there was an incident here at the Westminster Diner. Since then there has been a great deal of attention from the press as well as political interest in the case."
"The facts of the case are as follows. On Wednesday night at approximately nine in the evening Mister Haywood Collins entered the Westminster Diner in search of his wife, Jolene Collins. Mrs. Collins had run away from her husband earlier in the evening. Mister Collins located her here at the Westminster Diner and attempted to forcibly return her to their home. Mrs. Collins resisted, attracting the attention of the owner of the Westminster Diner, Mister Nicholas Papandreas. Mister Collins then assaulted both Mister Papandreas and Miss Amy Smith, a waitress at the restaurant. At that point Mister Carl Buckman, a patron of the restaurant, subdued Mister Collins. Subsequent to this, paramedic and police units arrived on the scene to provide medical assistance and transport Mister Collins, Mrs. Collins, and Miss Smith to the Carroll Hospital Center."
"This morning, Haywood Collins was transported to the Carroll County Courthouse and arraigned on multiple counts of assault and battery. He is currently being held at the Carroll County Detention Center. Bail was denied due to a prior history of violence towards his wife. Mrs. Collins and Miss Smith were released from the hospital yesterday morning and were both sent home at that time. Mister Papandreas' injuries were treated at the scene."
"There has been considerable interest in this case due to the fact that Mister Buckman is currently running for Congress. In light of this fact, I have taken a personal interest in this case. I have personally interviewed all the police officers who answered the call to the Westminster Diner that evening, all of the paramedics and ambulance personnel, and a number of the employees of the restaurant. I have also reviewed security videotape from the restaurant, and copies of these will be made public at the end of this press conference. Allegations have been made as to the conduct of Mister Buckman, allegations of excessive force and vigilante behavior."
"These allegations are false. Eyewitness testimony clearly shows that the first thing Mister Buckman did was arrange for a call to the police. The video clearly shows that his actions used the minimum of force necessary to subdue Haywood Collins, and then after Collins was subdued, he immediately released him and began treating Miss Smith for her injuries. He has cooperated fully with this investigation. These are not the actions of a vigilante."
"The officers who responded to the assault that night were wearing protective vests purchased with a donation made by Mister Buckman. The paramedics who treated and transported Mrs. Collins and Miss Smith did so with equipment provided, in part, by a donation made by Mister Buckman. They were treated at the Carroll Hospital Center in an emergency room also supported by a donation from Mister Buckman. After Mrs. Collins was treated for her injuries, Mister Buckman then offered to make a donation to the Carroll-Coleman Women's Shelter to make sure that she was kept protected."
"There is no question that Carl Buckman is a friend of the law enforcement community. He is a friend of the fire department community. He is a friend of the health care community. One of the most amazing things to me is that Carl Buckman isn't even a resident of Westminster. He doesn't even live in Carroll County; he lives on the other side of Hampstead, in Upperco. I've asked around, and he supports police and fire departments and hospitals and clinics all over northern Maryland. It is for these reasons and many others that I am endorsing Carl Buckman for Congress!"