As I shook hands with his friend, I noticed he was wearing a light-colored suit, nicely tailored - but not bespoke. It fit him like a glove, and he accessorized it with a royal-blue shirt and a gold tie with a metal collar pin.
Dapper, I thought, as I began my usual inquisition: "Who are you and what brings you to City Hall."
He told me his name, which I heard as Reginald Askew. It turned out his real name is Othniel Boaz Askew.
"He's one of my supporters," Davis told me.
"I'm in real estate and construction," Askew said.
When I asked him for a business card, he responded: "No, it's just word of mouth. I have a very select group of people that I work with."
"I see. So, where do you live?" I asked. "On South Elliot Place. I've been there for four years. Before that, I lived at 101 Lafayette," he said.
I know that black middle-class enclave well, so I nodded and said, "So, you must sell brownstones then." He smiled and nodded.
"What's the name of your company?"
"Fortuitous Construction" he said and began to define it for me.
"I know what that means," I snapped.
"People usually assume it's 4-2-something," he responded.
We shook hands, and they made their way up to the City Council chamber.
| The New York Post's Frankie Edozien writes "I shook hands with the killer"
posted in articles on July 24, 2003 1:30 AM | t (0)
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Every says of the tragically dead, "Oh he was such a good person. He'll be missed." Believe me though, James Davis will be missed. He was a fighter and personable and principled. I believe he shook every one of his constituents hands. Too bad I just moved into his district and never took the time to get to know my pols before his senseless murder.
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