Roxy Ross' presumed last term on the BP Commission is about to end. Roxy had a four year term, followed by a five year term, and she later ran unopposed to fill in what was left of Tracy Truppman's term, after Tracy retreated to her bunker, and took a dive. Roxy said she wouldn't run again after that, and she didn't. I have no reason to think she'll run again in the future.
When some people get to a certain age or stage, or they "retire," as Roxy seems to be retiring from being an elected municipal official, they are sometimes feted. Sometimes, the fete is a "roast." Various people who know or have been involved with the person in question come together, and they commonly make fun of the person. It's generally presented as all in good spirit. They say things that are essentially true, but they say them as if they were being affectionate about it.
We could do that. But we have the advantage of people who really, truly, genuinely don't like Roxy, and think terrible things about her. They honestly do. I've heard some of them say so, or at least allude to bad qualities they think Roxy has. So I think we should try to take advantage of some of that authentic ill feeling. We can roast Roxy in style. We can say openly all the things we know are awful about Roxy Ross.
I would have hoped to include Steve Bernard to start us off. But he ran away. Bryan Cooper could have been right behind Steve in pointing out what's wrong with Roxy, but he's gone back under whatever rock used to cover him. Then, there was Noah Jacobs. But he's run away, too. And Barbara Watts, who's gotten very quiet since she left the Commission. I bet Tracy Truppman is good for loads of great material, and I hope she shares it with us. The bobbleheads (Jenny Johnson-Sardella, Will Tudor, Harvey Bilt, and Betsy Wise) could have stimulating viewpoints. Betsy, too, ran away, and Tracy, Jenny, and Harvey have become invisible, but maybe for an occasion like this one, they'll treat us.
Milt Hunter must be a gold mine of great whining about Roxy. Milt is careful not to take personal responsibility for anything, so he probably won't personally contribute, but I'm hoping he can get his current puppets -- Ginny O'Halpin and Dan Samaria -- to say what Milt is not courageous enough to say. Hey, it's got to be good material, no matter who says it.
And then, there was one of our neighbors who told me after I got elected to the Commission in 2013 not to vote for Roxy for mayor. There was something about "baggage." I got the message, so I nominated Roxy for mayor, and I voted for her. (Whatever terrible things are wrong with Roxy Ross, she's an amazing, off the charts fabulous, elected representative. Not to mention, just as an irrelevant aside, that she's a magnificent human being.)
When I'm meeting and talking to my neighbors, some of them whisper innuendo about Roxy, or "the Rosses." There's never content -- at least not reality-based content -- but someone out there has opinions that could contribute to a good roast.
So, I'm going to get us started. Last week, I was talking to one of our neighbors, and our neighbor mentioned "that woman with the purple hair, and her husband takes pictures at Commission meetings." It took a little longer to realize that our neighbor meant Roxy and Chuck Ross. I didn't remember Roxy's having dyed her hair purple, but I do remember very unnatural red, and I agree with our neighbor. I didn't like that color, either. My other complaint about Roxy is that she likes pet dogs. I don't. So, there you go. I don't like Roxy's occasional taste in hair dye, and I don't like it that she likes pet dogs. Hey, I socialize with the Rosses, and I spend time at their house. I'm exposed to that beast. It's actually kind of a nice dog, as dogs go. I just don't like domesticating animals, and I don't like dogs all over me.
I hope others will have much better material than I do. I'm not much of a judge of people, so I've probably missed a lot of Roxy's pathology. Let's all go for it. Let's give Roxy a real send-off. Let's really fill up that comment section. You know, like "don't let the door hit you in the...butt...on your way out."
Here is my issue with Rox. I hear she is Cuban or of Cuban descent. Having said that she neither looks Cuban, speaks like a Cuban or is loud like the rest of us. So I have to ask myself is she simply impersonating a Cuban, did she seek the Cuban vote? I for one would like to see her birth certificate!
ReplyDeleteArt,
DeleteYou mean you heard that she ALLEGES she is of Cuban descent. Very good pick-up.
Let me confirm something for you. I needed my mother's signature notarized, and Rox agreed to ride with me to Surfside to meet my mother, and watch her sign something. Rox tried to speak to my mother, but my mother is very hard of hearing. Rox admitted -- how right you are! -- that she's incapable of raising her voice that much.
And when I'm at the Rosses' house, and the TV is on, showing who knows what -- usually sports/golf -- it is always Chuck, not Rox, who wants the noise pollution. How many Cubans do you know who don't have the TV on to produce meaningless (and distracting) noise?
Birth certificate, indeed!
Fred
Gentlemen, please let me try to put to rest the budding “birther conspiracy theory.”
ReplyDeleteYes, both of my parents came from Cuba in 1956, or 57 (so long ago, I get my dates mixed up now, like Little Marco). My family settled in New York City, where I was born (never mind what year that was) and raised. So, I was a Native New Yorker through 1979, when I followed my parents to South Florida.
Yes, the heritage runs through my blood, despite being (mostly) soft spoken. Two tests of my true Cuban roots are,
#1 I like to put a dash of salt in my café con leche; and,
#2 at the sound of latin music, any latin music I experience motion … feet start tapping, shoulders start to roll, head starts bobbing…. There is no standing still, no matter danzon (steps learned standing on my Dad's feet, salsa, cha cha, merengue, bachata …. fugetaboutit. Oh, and by extension, that moving “tell” also applies to Gloria Gaynor songs … Go on now GO!
As for serving on BP Commission. It was all Worth It! Thanks Dear Neighbors. Rox
I've never roasted anyone before. Hope I do this right.
ReplyDeleteIn Fred's post, I hear, "Blah, blah, blah, hair envy." Then, "Blah, blah, blah, wish I had hair," and, "Blah, blah, blah, someone pet me."
How'd I do?
Eww. Very creepy.
DeleteNailed it!
ReplyDeleteFred,
ReplyDeleteIt was nice of you to give a tribute to Rox. The tribute given by Tracy when Rox finished her second term in late 2018 was don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
We used to call her Roxy but Roxy didn't sound tough enough, so we shortened it to Rox. I liked the sound of it and it had a certain ring to it. Then, one of our friends/neighbors came up with Rox the Vote, picking up on the Obama theme, Rock the Vote. Turns out she didn't need to sound tougher; Rox/Roxy is smart, as well as tough as they come, when necessary. She does her research and makes fact-based decisions. She made it through some difficult years, there were several bumps in the road with certain issues that needed a strong hand to deal with. Fortunately, there were some Commissioners that understood the issues and stuff got done. You were one of those Fred, and most recently Mac was/is another. Unfortunately, with the current Commission, only two smart Commissioners is not enough.
When the Commission was comprised of Rox, You, David Coviello, Bob Anderson and even Watts, stuff got done.
If we can get Fred, Mac and Art elected I believe we will get back on the right path.
Chuck,
DeleteIt was an honor to serve with Rox. And it's an honor to know her. And an honor to have her as a friend. And anyone who knows Rox, and how she works, knows that there's a little more to it than her intelligence, and her sense of ethics, and her personal diligence. Rox is, for the Village, part of a team. You're the other part. There's not enough anyone could say about Rox, and about Rox and you.
"Difficult years?" Rox had the unintended effect of making a lot of people feel inadequate. Those of us who weren't simply appreciative of her capability and superiority were intimidated. Some of them thought it would somehow elevate them if they could find ways to diminish, or even overpower, Rox. All they did was make themselves look foolish, because they were foolish. And since Rox only wanted what was best for the Village, anyone who neutralized her acted against the Village's best interests. There's been a list of them, from Bernard to Cooper to Jacobs to Watts to Truppman to Johnson-Sardella to Tudor to Bilt to Wise and now sputtering out (I very much hope) with O'Halpin and Samaria. Maybe now that they can't try to make themselves feel better by attacking Rox, they'll just stop fighting, and doing stupid and maladaptive things.
As you say, we need to get ourselves back on the right path. Tudor is very clearly the wrong way to go. I still don't understand what Abreu's candidacy is about. And I have no evidence that Hamelburg will be adaptive for the Village. So I agree with your default as to what will help us. I'm trying not to think things are so far gone already that we have to consider what will save us.
Fred