It’s dark, except for lights sparkling on the river. I walk to the edge of the concrete plaza, where kayakers launch themselves into the Platte, and look down on … trash … or rocks. It’s too dark to tell.

REI is closed, and it may be dangerous to sit down here by myself, but I am nothing if not happy.

I can see the dial of the clock tower on the 16th Street Mall. I can see “Qwest” in blue at the top of one tall building.

Joe Nacchio was the only telecom executive who didn’t sell us out. He ran Qwest until 2002, and in 2007 he was convicted of insider trading. In 2008, his conviction was overturned.

He says the government retaliated against his refusal to cooperate with warrantless wiretapping.

I say, I have no love for take-no-prisoners CEOs.

But I am grateful to him.

My camera’s small
flash can’t pierce the river dark.
But I can hear it.

Leave A Comment

  1. Lori in Denver November 17, 2008 at 10:44 pm - Reply

    I hadn’t heard that it was retaliation

    I can feel how perfect that dark, mostly quiet moment must have been. I love knowing the landmarks you mention.

  2. Beth Partin November 17, 2008 at 10:45 pm - Reply

    Yeah, it was cool. I was having this knee-jerk “it’s probably dangerous” reaction, but it was muted under all my enjoyment of that place.