{"id":158441,"date":"2026-04-30T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=158441"},"modified":"2026-04-29T14:52:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T19:52:00","slug":"the-view-beyond-the-balcony-biden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/the-view-beyond-the-balcony-biden\/","title":{"rendered":"The View Beyond The Balcony: “A Conversation at Double Decker with Joe Biden”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Part <\/strong>One<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During Double Decker last Saturday, I was wandering from booth to booth when an old guy caught my eye. I was sure I\u2019d seen the man somewhere, but I just couldn\u2019t place him. I followed him around a bit. The man spoke with one of the vendors, \u201cI want that pin for Jill.\u201d I put two and two together, the halting steps, the shaky hands, the Aviator Ray-Bans, and Jill. Even with the bad fake moustache and the Dallas Cowboys cap, it was Joe Biden, trying to be incognito, but not doing a stellar job of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I slowly moved closer with the utmost care, pretending to be a shopper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to Oxford, sir.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks, man. Good to be here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s good to have you here, Mr\u2026.      <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shhh! I\u2019m trying to be invisible here. Tired of walking, man. Need a place to sit and drink a beer. I really mean it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought you didn\u2019t drink.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know a quiet place about two blocks from here.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s go, man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(We shuffled away until we reached our destination.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s this place, man? Looks like a hole in a brick wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yessir, but it\u2019s a great hole in the wall. Let\u2019s go in.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s dark in here, man. What\u2019s this place called?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bar Muse. It\u2019s one of the seven wonders of Oxford.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nice place. I want a beer.      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Drinks in hand, we found the quietest table in the place and sat.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What brought you to Oxford, sir?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s Joe. Just Joe, man. I\u2019ve been trying to get some peace. Nowadays I\u2019m getting blamed for everything. The war in Iran is my fault. The rise in grocery and gasoline prices is my fault. Even ice storm Fern that hit you guys so damn hard was my fault. Oh, and now, since I\u2019m Catholic, the tension between the president and Pope Leo is my fault, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Joe. You know that\u2019s not true.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, I know, but about half the country thinks Eve eating the apple in the Garden of Eden was my fault, too. But I was growing up in Delaware at the time (chuckles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what about this thing between the pope and the president? What do you think about it?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Pope and the President.\u201d Sounds like a great name for a book or a movie. Look, I think the president is damn stupid, for blessing out the pope. I mean it. I really do. There\u2019s this president who panders to evangelicals and doesn\u2019t even know his Bible except for First Tarantino verses 1-6. Then you\u2019ve got a veep who\u2019s telling the pope he needs to be careful with his theology. That\u2019s the stupidest thing I\u2019ve ever heard\u2014a Catholic layman telling the leader of his church to watch his theology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To quote a great Southerner, Saint Gump, \u201cStupid is as stupid does.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Belly laugh for both of us!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any serious Christian knows that their faith has to make a difference in everything they do, but you don\u2019t need to be a Bible-thumper to love like Jesus said we should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Just then, the news broke about the would-be assassin at the White House Correspondents\u2019 Dinner in Washington, D.C. Joe looked shocked. A tear rolled down his left cheek.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damnit, man! Is the president all right?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do you care?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think, Randy. We all need to respect the office of the presidency. It\u2019s another thing altogether to respect the man or woman who occupies the office. Hell, there\u2019s not one damn thing I respect about that man, but he\u2019s still president. If the leader of the free world is assassinated, it creates chaos you can\u2019t imagine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course. But we have protocols for that, like the line of succession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, we do, but we don\u2019t want to have to use them. I mean it, man. I really mean it. Look, the tension between the president and the pope will eventually be a footnote in history. The presidency will survive. The papacy will survive.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should we pray for the president?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely! If anybody in this world needs praying over, it\u2019s this man. He needs it badly. I believe that. I really do.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should I pray for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That, my friend, is between you and the Almighty.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

…and that\u2019s the View from Beyond the Balcony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(To be continued\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\""The<\/a>
“The View Beyond The Balcony” by Randy Weeks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Randy Weeks is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Shamanic Life Coach, an ordained minister, singer-songwriter, actor, writer, and a former triathlete. He may be reached at: randallsweeks@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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