When I was a young man, I watched something on TV that warped my little mind. At that time I saw the world in black and white. I felt I knew what was right and what was wrong. I thought the concept was more than something you were taught, it was God given at birth. Then I saw an interview of a local politician, Todd Wilkins. I do not recall what he was running for, but I never forgot his brief interview.
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Interviewer: Mr. Wilkins, your opponent has argued that as a man whose net worth is in the millions you cannot relate to the working class voter. Do you agree with that assertion?

Wilkins: Well, Mike, I have no intention of playing the class warfare game. An elected official is a representative of all his or her constituents regardless of income. That is something I intend to do, if elected, and what is working class? Is it working forty hours a week? As a CEO I often put in over eighty hours a week and was always on call, as do most business owners and operators I know. If that isn’t working, then I don’t know what is.

Interviewer: Are you saying yes, you can relate or…

Wilkins: If you need a yes or no, then my answer is yes.

Interviewer: Okay, before we get deep into this interview, I think it would be best if we dealt with the 300 pound gorilla in the room. Some call you a good man but this report brings that into question. It is not my intention to insult you, nor am I looking to get into any legal issues. In fact my staff tells me, that if the allegations are true as stated, you did not break any laws.

Is it true that you hired four call girls, essentially prostitutes, and took them out on your yacht for sex?  Let me add, the report states, all this took place in international waters off the coast of Florida and legally no U.S. laws were broken. Yes or No, sir, is that true?

Mr. Wilkens: No sir, it wasn’t four women; there were only three, but yes, the rest is true. All four consenting adults had a great time.

Interviewer: Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. Wilkins, surely you must know that morally, this admission will damage your chances?

Mr. Wilkins: Perhaps, but if people choose me to be their moral compass, then they are voting for the wrong reason. I’m running to do a job that needs the best person available. I’m not running to tell anyone how they should live, or what their morals should be.  If you’re not sure what your morals are, ask your mother, your father or your priest; don’t ask a politician.

Interviewer: I can see that, but still… people do look up to politicians.

Mr. Wilkins: I know that, and like you said, I didn’t do anything illegal, and from my point of view, nothing immoral either.

Interviewer: Yes, you are entitled to live your life by your own morals, as long as it’s legal.  But… though legal, what you did, perhaps wasn’t right, and for a lot of people, myself included, was wrong. I mean… you’re a handsome, rich, single man, do you really have to pay for sex? I’m not trying to argue but I don’t understand, and a lot of people will be asking the same thing.

Mr. Wilkins: Not everything is black or white, right or wrong. Let me ask you a few things. Are you married?

Interviewer: Yes, for twenty wonderful years.

Mr. Wilkins: Has your wife ever given you a backrub, or a massage when you needed one?

Interviewer: Many times. Mary has always taken good care me, that’s why I married her.

Mr. Wilkins: Have you ever gone to a professional masseuse for a massage?

Interviewer: Of course, many, many times, but there is nothing…

Mr. Wilkins: Yes, yes, it’s perfectly legal, but my question is, if you could get a massage for free from your wife, why did you pay someone else for one, many, many times?

Interviewer: Well… well, that’s different.

Mr. Wilkins: Yes, it’s always different when it’s someone else.

Interviewer: No, no, there is a big difference between sex, and a massage.

Mr. Wilkins: Is there? Both can be a service, performed by a man or a woman. Both are designed to give comfort, and dare I say… even pleasure.

Interviewer: There is pleasure and then there is p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

Mr. Wilkins: Perhaps, but you still didn’t answer my question. If you could and did get massages free from your wife, why did you pay for it too?

Interviewer: I think you are trying to get me in trouble with my wife, sir.

Mr. Wilkins: Only if you did something wrong, illegal, or immoral. Did you?

Interviewer: No… it’s just… well, my wife is great. If you’re watching this, honey, I love you. But, you know, there are times when ones needs a professional to work out the serious kinks.

Mr. Wilkins: I knew you understood, and so does everyone else, if they are brave enough to admit it.

Interviewer: Well, you have certainly given me and the voters a lot to think about. Thank you for your time, and good luck in the race.

In case you’re wondering. No, Mr. Wilkins did not win, and as far as I know he never ran for public office again. He did get my vote. I liked his courage and honesty. It was a shame few others did. Years later I have come to believe he didn’t lose because of his choice of his sex partners. I think he lost because, like in the interviewer, he exposed something most people choose to hide, and he stood up where many others would beg for forgiveness. That action certainly did make people think, and they did not like what they saw in themselves. But perhaps you see something different?