Tch, tch, Keith. Where are your manners?

Sheriff Keith Nygren was in Woodstock today. Mark your calendars, if you are counting the days he is near his office this year.

How do I know?

I went to early voting at the McHenry County Government Administrative Building, 667 Ware Road, about 8:45AM. As I turned in my voting-machine card, there was Keith. And so I greeted him with "Good morning."

Nygren looked at me with no acknowledgement whatsoever and turned back to the woman working the table. As I left, I said, "Good morning, Sheriff. Thanks for being courteous and saying 'Hello'."

How small a person does it take to refuse to greet anyone in response to a friendly greeting? With Nygren? Well, I wouldn't want to denigrate his brain or his mind, so I won't venture a guess.

But I did tell the story to some people (mostly Republicans, I would guess) at a meeting later in the morning. I added, "What a jerk. And you can quote me on that."

It's not the first time Nygren has shunned me, and it probably won't be the last. I recall passing him in an aisle at Walgreens in Woodstock (and you know how narrow those aisles really are) and at an Expo in Harvard, where he ignored a greeting from me.

My mom taught me to be polite to people and to greet them. Sorry, Mom, but I might have to practice up, if I am to run into Keith again.

Maybe I'll have to start showing up at Republican political events and see if his tune changes, if his peers are observing him.