Despite a classic dose of nasty New England weather, the mood at former Mayor Tom Menino’s wake was resolute and upbeat. Many who waited more than an hour to pay their respects shared stories from the mayor’s 20 years in office. Glenda Allen from Allston says she loved how casual he was. She met Menino when she moved here from the Caribbean:
“I met him since I’m here, ’72, shopping in Filene’s. We shopped together. I know him a long time. And he helped my son. My son is a veteran. He helped him get housing and all that. He’s a great man. That’s why I’m here.”
And there were a fair number of children in line, besides Menino’s six grandchildren. 7-year-old Abigail Torres explained why she came with her mother:
“To pay the respects for Mayor Menino. Because he is the mayor to me always. I remember when I was at the Christmas thing and he read a story to the kids and I took a picture with him when I was like 6 or 5.”
It was that kind of nostalgia that brought people. Sister Mary Black of Brighton described a ubiquitous man she recognized as a leader when she first met him:
“When he was running for mayor, many, many years ago, I lived in the Villa Victoria in the South End. And he came around and I talked to him and talked to Angela for quite awhile. They’re most extraordinary ordinary people I ever met.”
Almost everyone in line I spoke to had met Menino at some point. But relationships blurred the lines of personal and professional. Mark Woods, an architect from Arlington, saw an ally in the mayor:
“I work in affordable housing and we had lots of grand openings and he would always come. He was just a really nice man. He built a lot of good, affordable housing. I think he was very serious about it.”
Some, like Gail Fantasia from East Boston, were just impressed that the mayor was serious about his work even through his struggle with cancer.
“Everywhere there was a function he was always there. During the bombing, sick in the hospital, he made it. He’s a people person. I really loved him very much. Good people should live forever.”
Thousands more are expected to line the streets of Boston as Menino’s body is transported from Faneuil Hall to Hyde Park, past several places that were significant to him.
