Going down with the Mayor



The funniest picture of Adam ever taken.

I went to see The Last King of Scotland yesterday afternoon. Amazing film. Forest Whitaker is riveting in the role of Idi Amin. The theater was packed - I took one of the seats that are supossed to be for wheelchairs. the movie had already started - I figured if someone in a wheelchair came, I would leave. In fact there was someone in a wheelchair next to me - the mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan! Sullivan is the first quadreplegic ever elected mayor of a large city in the world. Sullivan is more conservative then the other guy who ran against him - Jim Green. Green had more policies that would have helped the homeless and addicted.

After the movie I ended up in the elevator with Sullivan and his partner who does just about everything for him. 2 other guys were in the elevator with me - one guy was a real piece of work.
Some quotes:

"So this is what the mayor does all day - goes to movies! HA HA HA" (He was the only one laughing)
"I got a bulls%*t parking ticket - can oyu take care of it for me?" (More one-sided laughter).

I was feeling uneasy at this bizarre one sided exchange. Sullivan didn't say much, except that he had a parking ticket once too.

I got off on the same floor with Sullivan and his partner. I mentioned that we have the same hair stylist - elizabeth. Her salon is a block away from where Sullivan lives. (Sullivan lives 2 blocks from me in Yaletown - I used to see him a lot before he was mayor, when he was a city councillor.)

I told him I was a pastor of a downtown church and I was glad that he has started to re-focus on poverty issues. He said thanks, asked my name and that was it. We went our seperate ways.

I wrote a top 10 list of movies I saw this year for Relevant - they published the movie editor's list instead. I will post my list here tomorrow.

Starting to transition slowly back into work mode - it's been a great holiday - lots of good food, movies, reading and rest.

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