Charlie mows our grass once a week during the summer. We have 2 acres and at our age- that’s just a bit much for us.

When Charlie finishes, we sit on the porch and shoot the shit for 20 minutes or so. Over the past year or two, it became evident that Charlie was going to vote for Trump. “He’s gonna take care of the little guy” said Charlie.

So after the election, we dropped politics as a subject of conversation with him.

Yesterday’s conversation on the porch with Charlie lasted more than 30 minutes. Charlie began it by saying, “Well, you were right about Trump. I should have listened to you.” (Those were the exact words he used).

My wife spoke for both of us when she said, “I’m really sorry we were right, CJ. It’s not going to be easy for any of us.”

Six months into his term, Trump has disabused Charlie of the notion that campaign promises made in November would survive past the following summer.

Charlie was not MAGA. He’s what some would call a “low information voter”. He works hard, picks up some extra cash playing keyboard in a band that plays in local bars, collects and sells junk metal, works another job as a part time night janitor in a local school. And he has his yards to mow in the summer, snowplowing in the winter. He gets by. Owns his own house. But he has no time for politics.

He believed Trump’s promises. And now he doesn’t.

How many Charlies are out there?