For most of my real estate career, Tom Barrett has been among the most influential politicians where I live in southeastern Wisconsin. Mr. Barrett represented the Wisconsin 5th congressional district from 1993 to 2003. In 2004, Mr. Barrett was elected mayor of Milwaukee. Barrett would continue in that capacity until becoming the longest current serving mayor of one of the largest 50 cities in the US. This 18-year mayoral reign ended only when Barrett was named ambassador to Luxembourg in 2022.
There were additional campaigns for governor of Wisconsin that didn’t work out. There was a brief time between the end of his congressional career before winning election to mayor of Milwaukee when Tom Barrett served in private law practice. That’s when I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Barrett.
I was conducting business in a swank downtown office building in Milwaukee when, my business completed, I boarded the elevator alone to return to my car in the underground garage. The elevator descended only a few floors when the car stopped and in walked the great man himself, Tom Barrett.
A terrific chance opportunity had presented itself. Immediately my mind began to spin about what I might say to this influential man. Hitting upon my answer, I squared my jaw, looked him straight in the eye, and I said to him, “don’t I know you from somewhere?”
Other greetings that were rejected:
- Hi, my name’s Dave, how do you like me so far?
- Is my fly open?
- Sorry for drooling on your shoe.
Sometimes you swing, and sometimes you miss. When you miss, better to laugh it off. The best jokes are the ones told on yourself.
For the record, the current mayor of Milwaukee is Cavalier Johnson. He used to rent an apartment from me.