Professional to the Max

Just as Ernesto was getting his name -- being upgraded from a depression to a storm (and being forecast to become a hurricane when he hits hot Gulf waters) -- came the really big news:

Max Mayfield, 57, director of the National Hurricane Center, would be retiring at the end of the year. The last two storm seasons just took it out of him, he said.

As a hair-challenged, bespectacled, earnest, reality-based, somewhat wonky American male of a certain age, I could identify.

More to the point: He's a hero. He seems living proof that quality still rises, and sometimes prevails. Unflappably, with hard work and great expertise, he very likely has done more than any other person to educate the public about the dangers of great storms, while setting up one of the government's truly fine research offices.

So what the heck, I fired off a valedictory email, expecting nothing from this busy guy.

And yet there it was back in my inbox within minutes:

John:
Thanks for your kind words. I'm not going anywhere until Jan 3. And now, back to Ernesto.
Regards,
Max

It's a rare government worker who makes you enjoy paying taxes.