It lasted about 60 minutes. 75 minutes, max.
The photo is from late 1988 or early 1989. The State Department had a program that brought in some outside speaker once a month. I was there to whup up on the World Bank, a favorite target of mine in those years.
The photo looks like I am waiting with a lawyer before going to make a plea bargain before a judge. The lawyer is practically rolling his eyes, wondering if the judge will swallow the line of bull I was preparing to proffer.
I posted this on Facebook; following is a lively exchange with philosophy author Quee Nelson:
Quee Nelson: My comment exactly.
Jim Bovard: One thing I learned in Boy Scouts was that if you wear a coat and tie in court, you get a lighter sentence.
Quee Nelson: That’s one of many things that makes it a very educational organization.
Jim Bovard: Luckily, I haven’t worn any neckerchiefs since then.
Quee Nelson: One never really should.
Jim Bovard: It raises suspicions that
someone is trying to hide rope marks.
I dig the pinstripes.
They go well with my railroad engineer’s cap.