The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 11, March 14, 2004, Article 23

A BRUSH WITH ARISTIDE

  Last week we mentioned the money stash left behind by
  President Aristide on his hasty exit from Haiti.   David
  Lange writes: "I have my own numismatic tale relating to
  the recently ousted President Aristide.

  In 1994 I was living near San Francisco and serving as
  president of the California State Numismatic Association.
  I was also serving with Don Kagin as the numismatic
  representatives on the M.I.N.T. Committee (Maintain and
  Improve a Numismatic Treasure).  This committee was
  formed by San Francisco's mayor and California's senators
  to reopen and revitalize the recently closed Old San
  Francisco Mint Museum.

  For one meeting at city hall I arrived about a half hour early
  and was asked to have a seat in the mayor's outer office
  waiting room. I was alone there, but just a few moments
  later two black men arrived and sat down nearby. They
  conversed briefly in French, which suggested to me they
  were probably from one of France's former colonies. One
  of the men, who was carrying a two-way radio and various
  other gadgets, was soon motioned inside the mayor's office,
  leaving me alone with the other fellow.

  It was at that moment I recognized my companion in the
  waiting room as President Aristide, who at that time was
  beseeching the USA to restore him to the presidency to which
  he'd been elected a few years earlier but from which he had
  been recently forced to flee for his safety. There were
  countless death threats against him at the time, as well as
  demonstrators both pro and con in the streets of San
  Francisco and other American cities.

  We spoke briefly, just the sort of polite conversation one has
  with strangers in such awkward moments. A few minutes later
  he was gestured to come inside the mayor's office, while I was
  asked to be patient during this slight delay.  Just as he
  disappeared, some of my fellow committee members began
  arriving, and I got caught up in our M.I.N.T. discussions.

  It was only after I left the meeting a few hours later that I
  realized I'd had a brief brush with history.  No one had frisked
  me or sought proof of my identity.  I was not asked to wait
  outside in the hallway. I was simply left alone with this seemingly
  marked man.  Had I been an assassin I would have had no
  trouble completing my mission.

  In this age of terrorism I imagine things would go differently
  today.  There would be security all around him to keep
  strangers like me away, but such was not the case ten years
  ago."

  [Well, you just never know where an E-Sylum item will
  take us.  We have a well-travelled group of readers.
  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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