Yes, darlings, I’ve been known to do things other than practice the art of the withering stare and having multiple sarcasms including hanging out with Jimmy Carter. Really.

And he has a special place in my heart for his kindness towards me when I was very young and had little self-confidence. He's the only president I can say I knew way back in the day and actually hung out with - but I did....

First, I met him a couple of times when I somehow - I honestly don't remember how - ended up doing some writing for the then head of the Democratic Party of Georgia and Jimmy Carter came by the office several times. I wrote a few things for him - a letter from him for some brochure, for example.

And then, somehow, though my work, I ended up being invited (probably by mistake) to a very, very private brunch (TRUE STORY) for Lucille Ball (who seemed very unfriendly and I didn’t dare approach). The shindig was at the plantation of then Sen. Herman Talmadge.

I went, of course, nervous and not knowing what the hell I was doing there, sort of standing alone to the side of a den-like room. And here came Jimmy Carter. I guess he saw me alone and out of place but, actually, nobody was talking to him at the time either! Ha..

He got us (non- alcoholic versions) of Bloody Marys and talked to me about the weather and the garden and what I enjoyed writing, whatever. In fact, we just hung out for a while talking until - I am not kidding - Dean Rusk, the former Secretary of State, came over and Jimmy introduced us. I couldn't make this stuff up, darlings!

I sort of excused myself and went outside to the rose garden. (And here came a very drunk Sen. Talmadge waddling toward me and I quickly left.. but that's another tale....)

Flash forward many years: Due to a relationship I was in, I knew another wonderful human being - Bob Lipshutz (who served as Jimmy's Counsel to the President and was best friend's with Jimmy) -- and we were invited to some of former President Carter's birthday parties.

One day, out of the blue (through my freelance work) I was asked if I'd like to do a Carter Center Project. Sure, I said, having no idea what I was getting into.

It was about working on a book - editing, writing some of it, pulling it together. And it was about a subject I knew nothing about at the time - the democratization of Latin America and the Caribbean. This was the l990s before files were just sent in email and suddenly I was getting boxes - yes, boxes - osent to my house to go through for the project and try to understand ... documents and paperwork and histories about the subject at hand.

I sat on the floor in my office surrounded by all these boxes and piles of paper and cried for a while, then got it together and somehow pulled the project off. I got kudos for it, which made me extra proud, in large part, because I contributed in some very small way to Jimmy Carter's work. Anyway, those are my minor President Carter tales.

Back to him. Jimmy Carter is a decent, good and kind man. He loves his late wife, Rosalynn, and family. He cares about people, period. It showed long ago and it has shown his entire life. And, to top off all his accomplishments, he kept going (he didn't even let a brain tumor stop him) as long as possible - working and helping people in need through Habitat for Humanity.

I met Rosalynn briefly when Jimmy introduced us at that long ago party. She was lovely. Rosalynn and Jimmy smiled smiled and joked with each other. The spark between them was genuine and apparently eternal. She was his true partner and worked with him building homes for Habitat for Humanity.

When Rosalynn Carter passed in 2023, Jimmy released this statement : "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

The odds are, Jimmy Carter has likely has joined Rosalynn when you read this. In my mind’s eye, in my memory and my heart, I can see them without old age and infirmities, holding hands and looking at each other with the delight of love that endures into forever.