If Lou Filbert could figure it out....

Much has been written about the whole Mark Foley/Republican Perversion thing (but few as succinct and right on point as what Dan Savage had to say) but let me just say this.

When I was in High School, I did a lot of community theatre. I wasn't a chorus boy, but strictly a technician. One of those geeky stagecrew types.

Anyway, there was a production of the musical "Mame", and while working on it, I attracted the attention of a much older man (not as old as Mark Foley, but way too old for this to be anything but creepy) Let's call him Mr. X. Mr. X kept making off-color comments and was a tad too gropey for even MY taste.

The woman playing the title role was a great old gal named Lou Filbert. Together with her husband, they had founded the community theatre, and were known for their fabulous parties at their amazing 50's house up in the hills. Lou wasn't just some housewife with aspirations: She really could sing, and she really could act, and she'd been around the block enough times to know how things were. I had known her and her husband all my life, as they were friends of my parents, and she had been my sister's brownie leader.

Anyway, one day after rehearsal, Lou called me aside. Drawing a huge drag on what was probably her ten thousandth cigarette that day, she looked me straight in the eye and said "So, is Mr. X bothering you?"

"Huh?" I replied (No one ever said I was verbose)

"Come on" she replied "I may be old but my eyes are still good. I know what that guy's doing. If you want me to take care of it, I will. If not...." she trailed off. (Lou had my number before I did)

Well, the truth was, he WAS creeping me out. And I didn't know what to do about it. So I told her.

I don't know what Lou did, but Mr. X never bugged me again. No big drama, no scandal, not even any animosity from Mr. X. Just no troubles.

My point is this: Lou didn't make up bullshit excuses about "telling her supervisor", She didn't pass the buck. She just asked me if it was a problem for me, and when it was, she took care of it.

Lou is long gone to her final reward, but I thought of her when this whole mess broke open. If any of these Congressmen had been half the man that Lou was (and, it should be mentioned, Lou was a Republican) the GOP wouldn't be in this particular mess they are in. Not only are the dishonest, they're cowards

RIP Lou.