There are those for whom we make way
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TO A fond member of Red Sox Nation, it seems reasonable to give the team’s principal owner, John Henry, free parking on his wedding day outside his own ballpark (“A clean sweep for Henry: City officials clear space for Red Sox owner’s wedding reception,’’ Metro, July 2).
But Thomas Tinlin, Boston transportation commissioner, provides some interesting perspective when he describes a criterion for assisting private parties: “If you said, my uncle is the former ambassador to Kazakhstan, that would obviously raise some concerns and we would try to be as accommodating as we can be.’’ Note “former.’’
We had a premonition of this criterion. In June, we made a trip of a lifetime to Paris. A month before arrival, we had made a reservation for a Saturday night at a fashionable restaurant. When we arrived, the maitre d’ told us our table had been given to the ambassador of Kazakhstan. She apologized, saying he was a very important person.
Weirdly, a quick Google search reveals that the ambassador to France from Kazakhstan had been dismissed May 19. So it was probably the former ambassador. That guy gets around.
Forget the Almighty Dollar - it seems it is the Almaty tenge that rules.
Elizabeth Rodgers Watertown 
