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ON THE STUMP
Boston’s other mayor speaks out
BY CHRIS WRIGHT
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On Monday night, at the opening of the DNC, Tom Menino, the mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, stood and gave a speech before thousands of hooting, banner-waving delegates. For Bob Cory, the mayor of Boston, Lincolnshire, Monday night was decidedly different. "We had a council meeting," says Cory, who’s 65. "There were about 40 people altogether. It started at 6:30 and it was finished by 10-past-seven." The meeting, about the town’s budget for the year, was not exactly a passionate affair. "We often wonder, watching the Americans on television, how mad they go, with their flags and balloons," Cory says. "We don’t have that here. We don’t get that excited." Boston — a town of 35,000 people on England’s east coast, about 120 miles north of London — relies largely on vegetable farming for its industry. The town’s main tourist attraction is the so-called Boston Stump, said to be the biggest parish church in England. "I suppose we’re a backwater compared with Boston, USA," says Cory. "But we’re moving forward at the moment. We have a new shopping center, and a multiplex theater with five screens. We’ve got a lot in the pipeline." But not too much — as Cory points out, "The local people don’t like changes." One recent change that everyone seems happy about is the arrival of aging soccer star Paul Gascoigne at lowly Boston United. "I think he’s playing tonight, actually," Cory says. "So that’s caused a bit of talk in the town." The Democratic National Convention, meanwhile, has aroused considerably less interest. "It’s been on the news, obviously," Cory says, "but is it a topic of conversation? No, I wouldn’t say it is." Even the mayor of Boston, who describes himself as a Liberal Democrat, hasn’t really been keeping up with the comings and goings at the DNC. But then, he’s had a delegate of his own to worry about — the mayor of Makai, Japan. "It’s been quite interesting," Cory says. "He doesn’t speak any English, and I don’t speak any Japanese. We managed to communicate by shouting and throwing a few signs about." There is talk, Cory continues, of his being invited to the US next year, to meet Boston’s mayor. He guesses that Menino’s job is very different from his own. "I’m just one of these village people," he says. "I’m not really into politics. I was the postmaster here. I just retired, so this has come along nicely for me, to enjoy a year as mayor." He adds, "I just want to do my little bit, going to garden fetes and civic dinners." A Web site for the Boston Borough Council reveals that Bob Cory served as postmaster in the town for 26 years before retiring last year. He has been married to his wife, Eileen, for 43 years. "The Mayor and the Mayoress," the site informs us, "are keen gardeners and enjoy socializing."
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