Jerome

“Jerome never allowed himself to become a victim, no matter how many challenges he faced. He just worked hard to overcome obstacles and get things done for the people…”

American politics had become another mystery, but I decided to try understanding it, especially since the state and local systems vary across the country. My town of Bridgewater, in Connecticut, used the town hall method to approve budgets and other important issues, but I had little knowledge about Virginia’s local government system. So, I decided to seek out the local political committee as a way to start connecting with the community.

Jerome Booker and I arrived almost simultaneously at the parking lot where the local Democratic Committee was to meet.

“Man, your truck is dirtier than my van!” I said, offering my hand.

Jerome laughed. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m scheduled to clean it up next year. Where’re you from? I never saw you before.”

“I just moved here from overseas and am looking for a way to get involved,” I said.

“Good. I spent a lot of time in Germany while in the Air Force. So glad to have you join us.”

I learned Jerome was once a County Supervisor, and still a prominent leader in the county. He had been one of the highest-ranking non-commissioned officers in the Air Force and been a Supervisor in Fluvanna County for sixteen years. He knew everyone. He knew the ropes. We spent a lot of time after the meeting discussing issues facing the county and who was involved.

As the months rolled on, for the second time in my life, I became an apprentice to a black man, the first, to Haywood Johnson learning how to install stoves and lay flooring, second to Jerome Booker learning local politics. Working sometimes at his dining table, sometimes at mine, Jerome and I telephoned voters to win their support, ask for contributions, to convince people to take our side on issues. Jerome seemed to know everyone in the county, both black and white. Before starting our phone calling, we’d go down the list of names, commenting about what we knew about each person.

Jerome said, “Ed Jones is always concerned about the county budget and the impact on his taxes. Mary Baldwin has three children and has complained about how the third-grade teacher treated her daughter.”

Those notes made each call personal. “Hi Ed, I saw at last month’s budget meeting. What did you think about the capital improvement plan?”

“You must always ask for the person’s vote — their commitment,’’ Jerome said. “Most people will stick to a commitment they say out loud.”

Jerome never attended a class on political science but acquired wisdom about local politics by the school of hard knocks.

His lessons translated directly to other activities in my life. “The first rule of politics is ‘Know the vote before you get to the meeting.’ This principle is important in business, non-profit, and civic work. When your group faces a critical decision, contact each person before the meeting to help persuade them to vote your way.”

It never occurred to me that some people might think it odd for us to feel so comfortable in each other’s homes. Being with Jerome brought me back to my childhood culture, back to the basics, back to breakfasts of eggs, bacon, and biscuits, back to living rooms of family pictures, back to simple family conversations, back to laughing and inside jokes. We could hear each other. We could see each other. We could talk about difficult issues, learning together.

I once asked Jerome how he dealt with the prejudice he encountered.

“I just ignore it,” he said. “If you know you’re right and doing the right thing for the people, you keep on working.”

“Are you serious?” I asked. “It must have been hurtful sometimes.”

“No. I am serious. I work with everyone. If someone is prejudiced, it’s their problem.”

Jerome never allowed himself to become a victim, no matter how many challenges he faced. He just worked hard to overcome obstacles and get things done for the people, such as getting the County to install a comprehensive water system for residences in the Fork Union area. He worked for all the people.

My work with Jerome and the political scene helped me feel more at home in the community, developing new friends, connecting at a personal level, and understanding current issues.

This continues chapters from my book, “Hand on the Shoulder: Finding Freedom in the Confluence of Love and Career.” (see Amazon). This one describes my friend, Jerome Booker, a quiet leader who accomplished significant things across our state by building on his strong personal values and growing strong personal relationships. He showed the way.

Grant