Act of kindness a reminder of lessons from father | Letters
One year after my father died, he came back.
On the first anniversary of my father’s death, I was walking to Key Bank at 4th and Broadway, to close my father's Trust Account, when a stranger stopped me in front of the public library at 9th and Vine. He was with a young child, perhaps around 7 or 8. The man spoke to me in Spanish, or possibly English with a strong accent. I realized, as I struggled to understand, that he was holding a cane, and clutching the child's arm. The man was blind.
I asked him to repeat his question several times and when I still didn't understand, he handed his phone to the child who pulled up an app and then tapped the man so he would know to start speaking into the phone. They were using a translation app of some kind. The child read the result and, dissatisfied, asked the man to repeat himself. The child showed me the second try translation.
Then I thought, maybe I understood. They were looking for the #4 Metro bus to Norwood. I pulled up Google translate on my phone and tried to confirm their request with an English-to-Spanish translation. Then I used Google Maps to confirm that the #4 bus goes to Norwood and to find the nearest stop. The map said: 9th and Main. It was on my way - and I had no idea how to explain the directions to them, so I pulled up the translation for: "I will show you where to catch the bus to Norwood."
The child started to lead the man as we walked east on 9th Street toward Main. Just then, another man and a woman approached us and spoke in Spanish to the first man. He responded, but I couldn’t understand. I asked if either of them spoke English. She did. I asked her to confirm that the two were heading to Norwood on the #4. They were. And then I asked her to tell them that I would show them where to catch the bus. She did. We continued the walk toward Main, but when we got there, there was no stop at 9th and Main.
They followed as I walked south on Main a bit, looking for the stop. I asked the people in Algin Furniture between 8th and 9th Streets if the #4 stop was nearby. They didn't know. I was concerned that the man and child were confused by my wandering. I'd have lost confidence in me by that time! I called Metro to ask about the stop. It's at Central Parkway and Main, the map was wrong. And the bus would arrive in 10 minutes.
We turned to walk north. When we got there, in front of the massive County Courthouse building, the bus stop sign did say #4. I couldn't leave them, had to see them get on the bus. And I was worried they wouldn't know when to get off. I pulled up Google Translate again. "Do you know the stop where you will get off the bus?" "¿Sabes la parada donde te bajarás?" Oh yes, they did.
I still couldn't quite catch where they were going. Someplace on Montgomery Road in Norwood. They pulled out their money. It didn't look like enough to me. I handed the child a $5. The bus was coming. I motioned to the child to look, “Cuatro.” They got on. The child put the $5 bill into the fare kiosk. I stepped on the bus and up to the woman driving. "They speak only Spanish and the man is blind. They seem to know where they are going, but they might need to hear the stops." She nodded, "I think I've driven the child with his mother before." Not to worry. I waved at the child. He looked back at me without expression.
I turned to walk toward the bank, though it would be closed by then. I burst into tears: Where were they coming from? Where were they going? How challenging the simple task of getting someplace—on public transit. I thought about my father and how he would do the same thing I did. Thought about the lessons I learned from watching both of my parents.
It was painful considering the difficulty of the experience for these two. And troubling to face my limitations with language. Yet it was a gift to be able to walk with them to the bus stop. It was like a visit with my father. I will be thinking of them.
Margy Waller, Over-The-Rhine
Burrow one piece of puzzle for Bengals success
I've been a Bengals fan since the team's inception with Cincinnati's own quarterback Greg Cook. They always played exciting competitive football despite having a losing record within their division. Three Super Bowl appearances is a respectable number considering several teams have none. When Burrow returns the team can get back to its winning ways with some badly needed changes.
We all know Burrow is one of the elite passers in his position. However, his success will be determined on learning time management when in the pocket. He's getting excellent protection but has to make quicker decisions.
Another improvement for the Bengals would be getting better production from corner backs and the safety. Allowing receivers to catch the ball, then pursuing them should first start with identifying receivers and contesting the reception will help the defense.
A healthy Burrow back next season, we will likely see more wins within the division become a trend.
Benjamin Crews, Springdale
Ohio voters: Heed trend toward autocratic control
Most every Ohio voter knows the abortion access saga, and the winning margin of 57% that enshrined access in Ohio’s constitution. GOP legislators are not impressed by the people’s will. They have stated an intent to thwart the majority’s democratically attained position on abortion access and reproductive freedom.
Wise Ohio voters should stop and think. Remember Larry Householder? He tried to bilk Ohioans out of one billion dollars in a scheme involving First Energy and a $61 million bribe. Householder was the face of Ohio’s GOP at the time. He’s in the slammer now—20 years!
Remember this past summer, when a special August election was arranged by Frank LaRose, Ohio Secretary of State. In testimony, that man nixed such “special,” off-schedule elections as a waste of taxpayer dollars. But stopping the will of the people was more important to him, to the GOP, and to Governor DeWine, so, an August election we had.
What about fair, representative legislative districts in Ohio? Here too, the GOP, and Mike DeWine specifically, thwarted the will of the people expressed at the ballot box. They drew egregiously gerrymandered legislative districts in defiance of what we Ohioans voted for and passed. If you sense these men and their party could care less about voters’ mandates, who could blame you? Are they autocrats? I’m not sure, but I am sure they are willing by hook or crook to subvert the democratic principle of majority rule. Clearly, 57% of Ohio voters have pushed back against their underhanded efforts to override what voters want. While 43% of voters were against Issue 1.
I bet there are some thoughtful, moderate folks in that no-vote group who see what I see and would join the rest of us to stop this trend toward autocratic rule. My hope is that we Ohio voters coalesce to elect state and federal representatives who accept as sacred that the will of voters be honored, respected, and implemented. If we fail to vote accordingly, then those bent on dictating our fate will remain in a position to do so. That should frighten every thoughtful Ohioan.
Bob Wilhelmy, Loveland
Thanks and giving in Highland County
Highland County Democrats celebrated Thanksgiving, the all-American holiday, with thanks and giving. Twenty-five local families received a bountiful, ready-to-prepare meal that included turkey, dressing, canned sweet potatoes, corn and green beans, dinner rolls, five pounds of russet potatoes, oranges, apples, and assorted candies.
Carolyn Goins, an energetic organizer for the enterprise, says, “This is a giving community and we are a part of that. There are so many hungry people. We just wanted to make sure they had a good Thanksgiving. Democratic Party members gave generous donations, Community Market was a champion, Ponderosa stored our frozen turkeys in their freezer. It’s neighbors sharing with neighbors”.
According to Dinah Phillips, Chairperson for Highland County Democrats, recipients were recommended by Highland County Community Action, and most picked up their well-filled bags from the Democratic headquarters, others had theirs delivered. She says, “This was a project we all supported, so it came together quickly and it has been gratifying to see the results. Everyone was so appreciative.”
As the group added “extras” to bags going to bigger families, helper Joyce Ford said, “It warms my heart that we can help families. When we contacted the people, it was so touching to hear their stories. But, we’re Democrats. That’s what we do. We help people”.
Pat Lawrence, Hillsboro
We need leadership on the issue of fossil fuels
The Enquirer featured another article on 11/24 titled, 'Oil, gas must slash operations, report says' IEA report emphasizes need to reduce our use of fossil fuels.
Seems like we see this kind of warning almost weekly - about the necessity of radically reducing our use of fossil fuels. It featured a report by the International Energy Agency about what we have to do to avoid the most disastrous effects of global warming. Why aren’t our political leaders listening – and acting?
While the Democrats are not perfect on this issue, at least they’ve made some significant steps, i.e., the Inflation Reduction Act. But the Republican party seems to have its head stuck in the sand. My question to our Republican members of Congress: what specifically do you propose to cut back our use of fossil fuels? We need political leadership on this issue. Republicans, will you provide it?
Jim Vogt, Latonia
Biden shouldn't tell Israel how to defend itself
Not only is the Biden administration's relationship with China been "suspect" for three years, but now it's been reported that the President is attempting to prevent Israel from destroying Hamas after the ceasefire is over. What gives us the right to tell our only true ally in the Middle East how to defend itself after it received an unprovoked attack from an enemy that has vowed to annihilate it?
Don Hanum, Liberty Twp.
Voters smart to overturn extreme abortion restrictions
In response to the guest column 12/3, "Passage of Issue 1 proof we have lost our moral compass", voter immorality wasn't the driving force behind the passage of Issue 1. Voters simply used their heads to overturn an extremist, poorly thought-out regulation of abortion in Ohio.
When the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it simply decided that the US Constitution does not guarantee a woman the right to have an abortion, and that any regulation of abortion would be carried out by the states. A state could restrict abortion, but many exceptions to these restrictions would be necessary for them to be realistic and enforceable.
Ohio's ban on abortions after 6 weeks is unrealistic because most women don't even realize they are pregnant that early.
It's extreme when doctors are forced to refuse to perform vitally necessary procedures on their patients for fear of arrest even when the terminations are medically justified.
When a raped and pregnant 10-year-old is forced to leave Ohio to get an abortion, that is the epitome of extremism.
Ohio's unwisely extreme restrictions on abortion needed to be overturned, and the voters were smart enough to do it.
Steve Applegate, Cleves
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Act of kindness a reminder of lessons from father | Letters
