The Inspiration

So if you've ever watched, heard of HBO's "The Wire" you know the inspiration for the show is all things Baltimore from the gritty drug culture, to the seedy politics, to the unfortunate realities of a city plagued with as many societal ills as any other large heavily African-American city. The beauty of the wire is that the show is a ripped from the headlines based show full of tidbits and nuances which make the show all the more real.

So yesterday I met Nerese Campbell, the fictitious City Council President fashioned after our former City Council President.




Just kidding, who I really met was the inspiration for Nerese Campbell, our current Mayor.



Here was our exchange.

The Mayor: Do we have a student with us?
Me: Yes, I'm an intern.
The Mayor: What school?
Me: Loyola College
The Mayor: Good school.
Me: Yeah.
The Mayor: Are you from around here?
Me: Yes.
The Mayor: What high school?
Me: McDonogh
The Mayor: So is this what you want to do?
Me: Yes.
The Mayor: Interesting profession. (she said it in such a serious but suggestive tone it was indicative of her view of the media, of journalists)
Me: (Laughing) Yes, it is.

It was actually my second time meeting the Mayor, I met her way back when she was a City Councilwoman.