By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



In most people’s lives, there is a circle. Yes, a circle.

This circle consists of people that you run into on a semi-regular basis. It could be that guy that you see in the cereal aisle every time you go the store, or that woman who’s always in front of you at the post office.

Those people are in your circle.

Sometimes, you can’t shake those people. They’re always there. You could take a trip to the middle of the equator and run into them. Why? Because they’re in your circle.

I had a guy in my circle for a while. I ran into three or four times within a period of about two years. It seems like everywhere I went for a while, he was there.

Unfortunately, I think our circle was broken last week when he was sentenced to seven years and four months at a federal prison.

That’s right, former Gov. Don Siegelman was in my circle.

Not long after moving to Birmingham, I was having a quiet dinner with my girlfriend at the time. Siegelman, who had recently lost his re-election bid to Gov. Bob Riley, had the same idea. He and his wife were sitting right next to us at this restaurant. I looked over at him at some point and nodded, as if to say, “hey man, things can be a whole lot worse. You could be running this state.”

Several months after that, I was standing outside of the Birmingham News/Birmingham Post-Herald offices where I was working at the time, and Siegelman comes jogging up. He was getting prepared to jog away when I said, “hey governor.”

His eyes lit up that someone recognized that he was once governor. He jogged over to me and shook my hand. We talked for a few minutes about the state of the state while I smoked the last of my cigarette. Then he asked me for one.

I was a little startled. The former governor is fully decked out in his track gear and sweating from jogging around Birmingham in the summer heat and he wants a cigarette? It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. I even lit it for him. He thanked me and jogged away.

About a year later and a few months after the demise of the Post-Herald, I found myself working for a non-profit ministry. I was dispatched one afternoon to go pick up a tax-deductible charitable donation from some wealthy lawyer at some wealthy law firm near the Brookwood Mall.

I walked into the lobby and hit the elevator button. I waited for what seemed like an eternity. When the elevator finally opened, who should emerge but Siegelman. I don’t think he recognized me without my cigarette. Once again I said, “hey governor.”

He smiled and gave me a quick wave as his army of lawyers whisked him out the front door. I just had to laugh that our paths had crossed once again. However, I guess our paths will cross no longer. Dandy Don was convicted about a year ago for his role in taking a donation from one Richard Scrushy in order to get Scrushy on the state medical board. Dandy Don and Tricky Dick Scrushy were sentenced last week.

I guess my circle will now be minus one former governor. Keeping him in my circle would mean being sent to a federal pen in Atlanta, and I don’t really want to go through all that.

Maybe I’ll write him a letter containing instructions on how to make a sturdy prison shank or maybe send him a carton of cigarettes. He could smoke while he’s jogging or lifting weights, or just use them to buy things. I hear cigarettes are like money in prison. I’m sure he’d appreciate those gestures.

It would be the least I could do for a man who was once in my circle.