A Wonderful “Temp”

In the movie “Dave,” Kevin Kline’s Dave is called upon to impersonate the President of the United States one night while the real President gads about. When the real President suffers a massive stroke, his staff presses Dave into continuing the charade while the evil Chief of Staff plots to blame the honest Vice President for the political crimes committed by the White House and, in doing so, get the Oval Office for himself.

What drives this movie is that Dave is a decent and honest man who recognizes that he has an extraordinary opportunity, while playing President, to do some good…which he does. The Deus ex machina of the film allows Dave to exit gracefully, clearing the name of the Vice President who vows to continue the President’s (Dave’s) good works and exposing the corrupt staff that surrounded the corrupt President.

One of the best messages of this film comes near the end when Dave is addressing a joint session of Congress. He observes that the power of the White House can go to your head and that it is best to remember that the Presidency is only a job and a “Temp” job at that.

I thought of this movie and this moment as I reflected on the passing of Gerald Ford. Here was a man who never wanted to be President, who never ran for President, and who, through an incredible twist of fate, was appointed Vice President and then President of the United States. And unlike many of the vast egos who have held this office in the past, who have held it since, and who viewed this achievement as some form of divine right ascendancy, Jerry Ford saw this as a temp job and so, rather than try to create a legacy, he decided to do this job with as little fanfare and pomp as possible. He was a man of integrity and good humor and, when he left office, he left the limelight behind and became good old Jerry Ford…probably one of the best “temps” we’ve ever had.

Santa and the Lump of Coal

A little background…a few years ago, my Jewish nephew was asking questions about Santa Claus. He wanted to know why Santa brought a lump of coal to naughty children. As the Santa expert in the family, and wishing to tell a story that made a point, I wrote the following story:

For those children who celebrate Christmas, Santa Claus has always been the spirit of giving come to life. For all children everywhere, Santa will always bring a gift. Sometimes they are great and sometimes they are small, but Santa always brings a gift.

Sometimes children forget, but they are gift givers too! Whenever children listen to their mommies and daddies, whenever they do what their mommies and daddies want them to do, they show their love and respect, and that is a very great gift indeed. Santa knows these things and always gives the best gifts to those children.

Unfortunately not all children give these gifts to their parents. Santa knows this too. But that doesn't stop Santa from bringing these children a gift. But for those children, the gift may be something they need rather than something fun they may have asked for.

A long time ago, people would heat their homes with big Pot-bellied stoves and in those stoves they would burn coal. To the children, coal looked like a dirty black rock. But, to their parents, it was a gift of warmth.

For those children who "gave gifts" to their parents all year long , Santa would bring gifts of joy and wonder. For those children who did not, he gave a lump of coal. While this did not appear to be a gift, it was in fact a gift of warmth that they could give their parents. And by doing so, they learned the value and the joy of giving so that in future years they would give to their parents all year long and, at Christmas time, Santa would bring gifts of joy and wonder.

To this very day, Santa still brings the lump of coal as a reminder that in giving we create the inner warmth that sustains us all and that, by giving all year long, the warmth is already there and presents of wonder and delight await "giving" children at Christmas.