Say What You Will….Paul LePage is a Man of His Word!

Inland Hospital President John Dalton next to the check from the State of Maine

I can't begin to tell you about the celebration I witnessed today! Ok, I can begin.....

I went to Inland Hospital to deliver Subway lunch to Waterville Surgical Associates. Danielle, Tricia, Amber and the gang had entered the Midweek Lunch Bunch and won! When I got there, was I ever surprised!

I got out and began walking toward the entrance with two big boxes of food. There seemed to be a huge crowd gathered just inside the lobby entrance. I was thinking, "all this for ten sandwiches?"

A man in a white lab coat hurried out upon seeing me.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked.

"Surgical Associates."

"Over there." He pointed to the adjacent medical arts building. Darn. the crowd gathered wasn't for me!

When I got to the elevator with the food, a woman was getting out.

"Did you hear?" she asked. "The governor is here with a 9 million dollar check for the hospital!"

Holy cow! I had to get in there to check it out after I delivered lunch, which I promptly did. I met the woman who entered, Danielle, a long time listener. I remembered her from the pool giveaway at Levesque's in July. I am always so moved when people say they've been listening for a long time. I even showed my true colors. Upon entering the office, I started to lose a 16 ounce of iced tea from the carrier but thought I'd made a great save. Unfortunately, like Bill Buckner in '86 world series, I lost control of the drink and it went all over the floor. Lucky for me, Amber (who claims to be goofy, like me), came and cleaned up the mess. I think I've found another soul mate :-)

When I left, I went to the lobby where the crowd had been gathered.

Inside was Adrienne Bennett, the governor's press secretary, plus Sara Dyer and Ellen Wells of Channel 6, all buddies of mine. They were all smiling and excited because, you see, Governor LePage had been there to present the hospital with a 9+ million dollar check. The the governor basically said he was ashamed that the state had racked up this kind of debt at hospitals' expense, I was in complete agreement. Could you and I ever do that? Of course not. We'd get taken to the cleaners!

As critical as I (and many others) have been of Paul LePage, the man says what he means and means what he says. Like it or not, it is what it is. He kept his word. The hospitals are, finally, getting paid.

Governor LePage, I respect you for keeping your word. After all, that's really all a man has and, you've proven, you've got it!

Now, how 'bout a trip to Millinocket to Pelletier's, La Casa and, perhaps, some plinking?