He could take a hit and never let you know you'd touched him. He's the show. After him, we get a long, dull line of plodders and schemers stretching to the beaches and beyond. Try to remember the last time John Harwood made you chuckle while you cringed. It's written on a cocktail napkin.
Buddy leaves and the stage is left to walking dial tones.
If only he could have pulled it off without getting indicted. If only he could have run a city government that didn't resemble a fire sale at Building 19. He could have been some body. He could have had a run that eased smoothly into a comfortable retirement by the sea, with people coming to collect seashells and a few cherished words of wisdom. He's been playing Providence longer than any other act in town.