Thoughts about Deep Throat
I just remembered a post I wanted to write last week, but didn't have time. It's lunch here and I just remembered what it was.
Last week when everyone was talking about Deep Throat and who he really was on Watergate's 30th anniversary, I realized that I may have met him. What's more, I met him during a time when it was really important to me, but didn't know it.
From 1990-1993 I was in college studying Journalism. A budding journalist, I was working at a newspaper near my hometown, editor of my college weekly, etc. etc. The reason I'm doing computer stuff now is that when I finally left New Hampshire to get away from the snow, I couldn't find a proper journalism job in Miami and ended up working a temp job at IBM Media Relations helping out the PR staff. That lead me to Lotus Notes programming, which lead me to consluting, etc. (Spelling mistake intentional).
During the new year between 1991-1992 myselfe and a bunch of friends all got together in Concord, New Hampshire for a New Year's bash. We rented a room in the Ramada - the biggest hotel in the area - and generally messed around all night. New Year's in Northern climes is really just a torture test to see how much you can stand sub-zero temperatures while dressed in your best party outfit - thus we ended up staying in the room a lot despite the hot air baloons and other activities in the streets outside the State House...
The next morning as a couple of us were heading downstairs for checkout, we got into the elevator with, of all people, Pat Buchanon. Yes, Mr. Xenophobe himself. I didn't realize back then in my youth what a horrible neo-nazi he really is, otherwise I would've been a bit ruder. But what I did say was "Hey! Pat Buchanon." And he nodded and that was it. Pat was in New Hampshire, in case you aren't up to speed on politics, for the primaries which happen in New Hampshire in January/February every election year. He was stumping for president...
So Pat's on the short list to be Deep Throat. Who'da thunk. During 1991 if I knew this, I'd have had a cow. I was really into All The President's men having read the book and seen the movie just that year for the first time. And in one of those weird bits of fate, I may have bumped into Deep Throat at the same time.
I bumped into Stephen King once too. But then again everyone in Northern New England has at least once, so that's not as big of a deal and is only mentioned because I haven't really run into that many famous people.
-Russ