August 8th is the 49th anniversary of the resignation of Richard Nixon.
Eight years ago, on the 40th anniversary, of his resignation speech, a day which in the context of today’s politics seems almost quaint, on that auspicious anniversary, many folks, myself included, paused to reflect on the events that August day in 1974.
My thoughts went back specifically to recall a poster that then hung in the kitchen of my upstairs apartment at 617 Whitehead Street, just a few doors down from the bar.
Clearly visualizing the poster, but only vaguely recalling what I may have done with it, with little or no expectations, I began rummaging through The Parrot archives in the truck out back, and there, amazingly, in a cardboard mailing tube, tucked away, hidden from the light of day for 40 years, was my Richard Nixon Official Countdown Calendar, rolled snugly with a few other posters, a few stickers from the Roller Rink, and a few yellowing, bar-related newspaper clippings.
Going further in my personal way-back machine, in another flashback, I recalled the poster had been hung in our kitchen the same day it was purchased from Theron at The Environmental Circus, our local clearing house for all things counter-culture, and when hung, constituted the only art in the room, if not the entire house.
In keeping with its intent/design, each day that passed was crossed off, by myself or whichever roommate came into the kitchen first in the morning, thereby acknowledging one less day the republic had to endure the blighted and ill-fated tenure of our 37th President.
Upon further inspection of the political artifact, Buco counted the Xs and calculated that it was indeed accurate with all days diligently crossed off before entering its time capsule.
The NYT times front page was purchased separately on ebay and added to the display to add some needed historical context.
Indeed, the needed context was proven out the very first day we hung it eight years ago when I overheard a couple of younger guys peering at it with one commenting offhandedly, “So tell me again about this guy”.
#greenparrotbar #greenparrotmemorabilia#nixon#watergate#37#trickydick #potus #congress#freepress #ruleoflaw
