Everything But Ordinary

I was on a work trip this week in Washington, DC. I had wrapped up a hectic and productive day with colleagues and clients. My coworker left to drive the clients back to their hotel. So it was just me and a vendor partner, Matt. We were casually walking around Union Market, aimlessly exploring as we chatted about the upcoming project we’re excited to be collaborating on.

As we were walking across the entrance of Union Market an old man wearing glasses and a camo USA hat stopped us. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. But over the last few years, I’ve grown more empathetic and compassionate towards senior citizens. Many of them are lonely and simply want to be heard. Having experienced what I’d describe as extreme loneliness myself (when we first moved back to the states while living in Portsmouth and then nearly every non-art-class day in Newburyport), I was quick to engage in a genuine conversation with this man, whose name I quickly learned was Ed. Truthfully, I had no idea where this conversation was going to go and was praying that Matt wasn’t bothered or uncomfortable with the situation I was eager and willing to put us in.

His approach was unconventional, but in an endearing way that evoked curiosity from the start. Ed started the conversation saying that he “was on a mission.” He explained how he was trying to get a law passed. He held up a finger as though to say “hold on” and he began to unzip his jacket with (as Matt and I silently wondered what on earth was about to happen). He spread his jacket out like superman to show us his shirt. It read, “Attention Citizen! Pass Clara’s Law”. He beamed with pride as he told us he got that printed on the front annnnd the back of the white t-shirt. He explained that Clara was his second wife, who while she was recovering from surgery was sexually assaulted by a nurse while she was in the ICU. The nurse resigned from that hospital and went to another where he abused another patient! Clara’s Law would help prevent these horrific acts from happening in the future. Clara suffered from PTSD as a result of that terrible experience which Ed attributed to her (relatively early) death just two years later at the age of 65.

Ed told us he had gone to Congress that morning at 8am sharp in hopes to gain their support. He told us that he told every person he spoke to that he was “the most persistent man they’ll ever meet” and that he won’t give up until the law is passed. He wasn’t blowing hot air... He then told us how he walked 230 miles to attract attention… read that again… he walked 230 miles to attract attention to this cause. Did I mention he is 76 years old?

With a mischievous smile, he said how he has and will continue to walk into any and every legislative office to ask for support. “They don’t know what to do with me!” He was quite pleased with himself (and we too were quite amused) as he knew that these uptight politicians weren’t used to some old guy with the levels of determination and zest that Ed possesses.

The more Ed told us about his mission and the lengths he’s going to make Clara’s Law happen, the more in awe Matt and I became. Ed is a man who is not letting age, lack of resources, lack of support - or anything stop him. He said that even after all this work that it ends up only helping one person, that it was worth it.

He shared more about his story. Clara was his second wife - his first one had left him and took everything, including their 5 children. After his divorce was official, he went to a bar near Orlando called “Misfits” (he cackled with laughter telling us this because he knew the name was perfect for him) to celebrate his independence and that was the night he met Clara. Shortly after Clara and Ed married each other, Ed’s first wife showed up at their home with the children threatening to put them in a foster home if he didn’t take them. This is a particularly cruel threat because Ed grew up in foster care and was homeless by age 15. It was Clara who said, “we’ll keep them.” With blended families, they had a total of nine kids. Ed had several jobs to support his family but he describes the time with Clara and their children as “the best years of my life.”

At this point, I was trying not to cry. This is a person who had a hard life, although he would never describe it in that manner. Despite the adversities he’s had to overcome, Ed is an inspirational example of selflessness and dedication. It was truly our privilege and honor to meet Ed and learn his story. I told Ed that what he is doing is heroic. He responded with the humble response, “No, I’m just an ordinary man.” I assured him, “Ed, you are everything but ordinary”. He was delighted by that and said “Ok, I’ll give you that!" with a contagious chuckle.

To read more about Ed’s mission and Clara’s Law:

https://www.ocala.com/news/20190112/mans-230-mile-walking-trek-draws-attention-to-claras-law