It hardly seems possible that five years ago today I first mounted the steps to the West Virginia capitol to begin working for Senator Steve Harrison. It was only the third time I had visited the capitol. The walk toward the granite edifice was nothing short of daunting.

As is my custom for any early morning meeting, I was late for orientation. If I had not known I was in the capitol, I would have thought I was barging in on a Methodist Ladies Auxillary meeting. Not one of twenty or so people in the room was under forty, most were over fifty-five and all were decidedly female.

I snuck to the back corner as quietly and unobtrusively as my 6-foot, 4-inch frame would let me, eased into a chair and looked up to see everyone looking at me. Finally the oldest of the bunch approached and asked me what I wanted. “I’m working for Harrison,” I said. She just looked at me. “Will Stewart,” I prompted.

“Oh,” she exclaimed just a little too loudly, “you’re the guy.”

The way she emphasized “the” made me a little bit nervous. I soon found out I was 1 of 2 male assistants out of 34 positions in the Senate.

But it turned out okay. A notoriously crabby Senate staffer threatened to fire me on my first day, but I made friends with most of the ladies who were looking for someone to mother and stuff cookies into.

Ever so often, they would come in with their granddaughters who just happened to be visiting. It was beyond awkward. “Will, this is my single granddaughter, Suzie,” the grinning-too-wildly-grandmother would begin. Then they wanted me to start chatting away or propose or something. I usually just made a few comments and wished to high heaven the maintenance crew would get the trap door under me fixed.

I worked for two years for Harrison until Senate Minority Leader Vic Sprouse asked me to be his assistant. This January 10th it would have been two years. Now Caruth has taken over and I am moving back to the West Wing with Sprouse.

Unless something changes, I have decided that this session will be my last.

Even though Senators and staff have come and gone, many things stay the same – even the issues. Legislators will be discussing ATVs this session just like 5 sessions ago, Republicans will introduce tax reduction bills, and Democrats will name enough bridges to span every 2-bit creek in the state.

One more thing is the same: each time I walk toward the golden dome, I always get a lump in my throat and rise in my heart just like the first time.