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Schaefer Is Retiring, But Never Shy
Throngs of employees greeted Maryland Comptroller William Donald Schaefer for his last day of work at the Revenue Administration Building in Annapolis. Well-wishers held signs -- "A tip of my hat for a job well done," one said -- as Schaefer was given a bouquet of roses and a top hat.
(Photos By Marvin Joseph -- The Washington Post)
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Schaefer, who has not been subtle about his distaste for Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), is not holding his breath about being appointed to any boards or commissions, a common fate of former public officials. "With the new governor in, I wouldn't be appointed to the dog house," Schaefer said.
Could he pen his memoirs? "I ain't got no memories."
How about a political column? "I couldn't put enough words together."
Radio talk show host? He tried that once. "I lasted two weeks."
Could he lecture about political science? "I'm not a good teacher."
So what will he do in his office? "I'm going to be a consultant," he said. "That takes care of anything. I don't know who'll ask my advice."
In the meantime, he will visit his favorite Baltimore haunts with old cronies. "Oh sure, I go down to Little Italy just about every day," he said.
Schaefer is a lifelong bachelor -- his companion, Hilda Mae Snoops, died in 1999 -- and has no family. He plans to spend a lot of time at his townhouse in northern Anne Arundel County. "I'm going to get about a month's [worth of] TV dinners, TV breakfasts," he said. "I'll walk out on the balcony when it's nice, look at the flowers blooming, look at the rabbits eating my radishes."
The Anne Arundel house is crammed with decades of memorabilia. "I throw nothing away. Nothing. When I finally draw the curtains, the poor person that has to empty out my house, I feel sorry for. Nothing of value. They wouldn't even rob my place."
Now he has to find room for all the artifacts from his Annapolis office. "I'm clearing out everything," he said. "The only thing that will be left are some papers and the stapler, and I might take the stapler."
Schaefer looked over his shoulder and did a double take when he saw a bronze statue of a blue heron still standing on a shelf. "What the hell?" he barked. "I've got to take that bird out of here. That reminds me of Mike Miller. Big ass and small head."
State Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (Calvert) is not the only fellow Democrat for whom Schaefer has less than fond words.
