"Now for an unusual change of topic: As everyone everywhere knows, this week former U.S. President Ronald Reagan passed away. I hardly ever found myself in agreement with Reagan on any issue at any time, but he is the only U.S. President with whom I ever sat down to dinner, and that one meal told me a lot about the man that is being missed in all the eulogizing. Ronnie Reagan was a very funny guy.
One night in 1978, my friend John Austin, who had covered Governor Reagan for Time magazine, and I met for dinner in San Jose, California. The former governor wasn't even running for President yet, but was in town that day to give a lunch speech. Reagan's plane back to Los Angeles, where Nancy was waiting, didn't leave for several hours, so we kept him company. Over drinks and then dinner, Reagan never once mentioned politics. Instead he told an unending string of Irish jokes. Here is my favorite:
Two Irish ladies were at the wake for their dear friend. "Poor Mollie," said the first woman, looking down at the body, "she had such a hard life. First she married Mike, who gave her five crying children in six years. He beat her and never worked a day in his life. Then Mike up and died, and she married Johnny, who was even worse, giving her seven more children and not a penny of support. He was drunk all the time until he died, too. And now Mollie is gone, worked to death taking care of those 12 kids."
"Well, at least they are together at last," replied the second woman.
"You mean together in Heaven?" asked the first woman. "But is Mollie together with Mike or with Johnny?"
"I was referring to her legs."
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