Buen Viaje Ed Pastor
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of former Congressman Ed Pastor.
He was a gentleman through and through, a man of a bygone era. I was privileged to consider him a friend. Always ready to help, mentor and counsel, he was a great listener and man of action as well. A champion of decency, respect, and civility. He will be missed by all of us who knew him. I will never forget when we visited Phoenix one year and He invited us to eat some "real Mexican" food with him.
It was nighttime and there we were in the middle of a neighborhood that only the locals can visit. The "restaurant" had steel bars on the windows and the front door, tables and chairs that would not stop dancing, "Tequilas all around" he said, and they never stopped coming while Mexican music blasted in the background. Everybody knew him of course and he was the toast of the "restaurant." The food was marvelous and then all of the sudden he says, "oh I have to go" and disappears. We are stunned and try to think how do we get back to town? Can we call a taxi? "No," says the bartender, "they don't come here." We began to wonder how to get back to the hotel. "That's hard to tell" he replied. Who can we ask to give us a ride? "People here do not give rides" the bartender responded. Talk about being out of your element! Then the whole restaurant breaks into laughter, the bartender explains that Ed had told them, "My friends come from Washington, D.C., you know over there they do not have a clue how the real world works. Sweat them a little and then take them back to their hotel."
Ed was a true American, a defender of equal rights and a tremendous advocate for the people of Arizona and of the Latina and Latino community. Thank you Ed for all the years of service, we will miss you greatly. Buen viaje my friend.