Remembering Tom Lantos (read this!)

[WileEcoyote]

His job was in government. A fragile, elderly Hungarian man but with a ten foot tall smile who liked brass bands. That is how I met Tom. Almost every year on Memorial Day at the National Cemetery.

I'm the high note trumpet player at one of our national cemetery concerts. Every year Tom would walk over to the band, wave and call me by name. Infectious optimism and positive energy. It wasn't the band which made Tom come to the concert and festivities but his job and community affairs. And if he came out on Memorial Day it was because he was going to give a talk.

The keynote speaker.

And talk he could. Friendly yet highly commited personality. Part of Tom's job was bringing together a polarized cast of constituents. Up north in San Francisco went one way, down in San Mateo County the other. Regardless everyone liked him despite differences.

The only Holocaust survivor to ever serve in Congress.

Despite his social concerns Tom always took the time to visit the band. Seems his early days in Central Europe made him accustomed to brass "oom pah" bands. We are a British Brass band and you could tell that Tom loved it.

Just a couple years ago we played an extra gig for the newly commissioned San Bruno Veterans Hall. Tom was invited to attend. To my surprise he comes over and sits with the band during our time. He asks me about all the various brass instuments. I explain the Euphonium with it's tone and register. Then he asks why my horn is smaller than the other trumpets. So we talk about pitched trumpets and what not just like one of the guys.

Geezus Christ Wiley, you're chatting with a sitting United States Congressional Representative!

However this past year his voice was much more struggled. Concerned I had a feeling this might be the last time we'd see Tom. So I brought my room mate down from Santa Rosa to snap a photo of Tom visiting the band. I say: "Keep your eyes glued to the band and snap a picture of anyone who waves at the band.

Useless. My roomie is an idiot. Tom comes right up to the band as we play and waves directly at me

"Hi Lee"! he says. I look for my room mate. Her back is turned to the band while chatting with Colonel Fukoyama (decorated WWII Japanese American war hero serving in the European theater). After his talk Tom is whisked off by aides and leaves.

Stupid room mate of mine... Some people are just unteachable.

Small matter really.

. . .

Then came the announcement: Tom had Esophageal cancer. I had known something was wrong. he didn't sound right at the Memorial day celebration.

Well I'll still be out there on Memorial Day this Spring

but Tom won't. Except maybe in spirit. Waving above the Red White & Blue.



This is how I knew Tom. Not as the powerful political figure but as the kind elderly man who liked brass bands and people. The man with the big smile.


Rest in peace Tom Lantos

[wellstone dem]

1. What a wonderful story

it reminds me a bit of Paul Wellstone, who always made a point of going into the kitchen after a dinner to thank the cooks, and also introduced himself to each of the servers and thanked them.

[WileEcoyote]

2. Votes!

Just good sales i guess. Interesting how some people have a knack at it.

I disagreed with Lantos on his Iraq vote in 2002 and yet as a representative of both San Francisco AND San Mateo counties he was a fault line more precarious than the San Andreas (which also runs through the district).

He was still an intense and very likable man.