I hope you enjoy this guest post from Robert T. Perschel, Executive Director, New England Forestry Foundation, where the original version of this post was published.
Earthday Founder Senator Gaylord Nelson – My Friend and Colleague
One Earthday in the 1990s, Earthday founder Senator Gaylord Nelson took respite at our house, when….
The ensuing episode involved 6-year old boys, mud, weapons of destruction, and a very gracious senator. But first, a brief introduction about my relationship with the former Senator Gaylord Nelson, a man I was fortunate to include among my friends and colleagues.
In the 1990s Senator Nelson and I both served as staff members of The Wilderness Society. The Senator was particularly interested in population growth and the ethical side of the conservation equation. When I was Director of The Society’s Land Ethic program, he was an important collaborator and advocate.
The Senator Takes a Nap
One of our cherished family tales involves the day that Earthday founder Senator Gaylord Nelson came to our home in Worcester. It was Earthday 1997 and I was escorting the Senator to various sites around town. During a break in the schedule we headed home for a few hours of down- time before the evening reception. I made sure that Gaylord was comfortable in our upstairs guest bedroom. Then I retreated downstairs as he took a nap.
It was a beautiful spring day. I was in the yard when my son Jordan suddenly appeared out of nowhere with two cohorts. There they stood, half naked, brandishing play swords and other forms of makeshift weaponry. I heard them ask, “Is he here yet?” Before I could respond, they charged into the house, swords in hand, and shot up the stairs. When I arrived to the guest bedroom, I found the 3 cohorts standing on chairs by the bed peering down at the Senator, waving their swords.
I was embarrassed and worried about the Senator being rudely awakened from his nap. But then I heard a soft voice from the darkened room. “Well, what have we here? What are you fellows up to?”
I was tremendously impressed with the Senator’s “equanimity under fire”. Then I recalled how deftly he handled difficult questions after his talks and I was sure his political career must have steeled him for moments like these.
I quickly introduced the boys to the Senator and immediately ushered them from the room so he could get his rest. I chided them for disturbing our important guest and walked away, but not so far as to miss the voices of young boys arguing.
“I TOLD you he wasn’t a general”
“Yeah, he’s only a senator”
“That comes below sergeant, doesn’t it?”
Bob Perschel is honored to have had the opportunity to know and to work with the very gracious Earthday founder Senator Gaylord Nelson.