Faces of Tomorrow

              The Fresh Young Faces of Tomorrow

       Mary and I were out walking in Wilkerson Park, on Buffalo’s outer harbor. It was a brilliantly sunny day in August, with a warm breeze wafting in and caressing us from across the lake. It is summer weather in Buffalo at its very best.

         We came upon a group of three young men who were walking during their lunch hour. “Hey Joe Martin,” I heard. Startled, I looked up and did a mind shake. One of the men I recognized immediately and greeted him enthusiastically. He had been a brilliant, hard-charging and energetic campaign aide in years past. He was now a much-respected New York State Supreme Court Judge. The second young man, I recognized as well. He had been another young comer who had worked for me one summer as he was earning his academic spurs. Even as a college kid, I knew this lad was going places. He too was now a respected New York State Supreme Court Judge. The third young man was a law clerk for one of the judges. He was also a sitting Town Judge in one of Buffalo’s suburbs. I didn’t know him as well, but presumed he was pretty capable by the company he kept.

      Our conversation was brief, mentioning shared friends and experiences before we bid each other a good day. This brief encounter gave me pause to think many thoughts, all of them fond. They were about all of the many smart young men and women that I had met during political campaigns and tenures in various governments. Interacting with fine young people like this is my most treasured memory of those often-turbulent years.

     You can tell right away when you meet these ambitious young people, that they are headed to careers of import in their communities. They approached every task with enthusiasm and ardor to help out when needed. It had always been my great pleasure to watch them develop and grow in later years. I always hoped that I had influenced them, however subtly, to succeed in any endeavor they tried. Mary, in her teaching career, and me in the political arena had always encouraged youngsters to think on a grand scale that all things were possible. When one of them said “I want to be President” or “I think I will become a film star,” our reaction was always the same, “Why not?” we always said. “With hard work, effort and study you can becomes anything in this great land of ours.”

     An old Buffalo Streets Commissioner, Carl Perla Sr.  had greeted me as a youngster, on my first day at work, when I was hired for a summer job in the Buffalo Streets Department. He spent a few moments talking to me and sent me on my way, flattered by his interest and attention. Later, when I became Erie County Commissioner of Parks. I remembered Mr. Perla’s kind lesson and had the same interview with all of the many young people who came to work for us every summer. It was always a pleasure to meet and talk with these bright young men and women.

    With some, in the business and public sector, there are photos on their office walls of their association with Presidents, Mayors and the high and mighty. They are personal trophies demonstrating whom they had known and worked with. With Mary and I, it is not photos, but the memories of these fine young people as they studied, worked and became the famous people in those photos that others collect. And as much as we thought we might have encouraged some of them, we knew how much their energy, enthusiasm and intellect had influenced and encouraged us in our various endeavors.

     My compliments to all of these fine men and women for what they have achieved. You make us proud to have known and worked with you.

                                    -30-

                               (657 words)

                         Joseph Xavier Martin