Aldermanic command

Aldermen often believed they were very important people, and they assumed everybody at City Hall was there to serve them.

While working as an aide to 48th Ward Alderman Marion Volini, I sat in on a City Council committee meeting just to see how it was run. 7th ward Alderman Joseph Bertrand was testifying about something and at a break in his comments, he pointed my way and motioned for me to talk to him. I ignored him. I assumed he was pointing to somebody else.

But then he angrily pointed at me again, insisting that I approach him. When I did, he handed me a piece of paper and said, “Go make a copy of this for me.” I didn’t work for him and I had no reason to do anything for him, but I didn’t want to make a fuss. I decided to just give the paper to somebody else to copy.

Suddenly, a City Council employee rushed up to me and grabbed the paper, saying, “That’s my job,” as if I had invaded his territory. “I’ll do it.”

Bertrand didn’t care who did it, so long as he got his copy.