The last time I encountered Gov. King, I didn't feel like doing impressions. My outlook on life and Bruce King had changed. That happens as you age and you watch someone getting older.

I would never presume to say I knew Gov. King as a friend, but the wonderful thing about him is that he treated everyone he encountered as an old chum. That was part of his charm and one that is sorely missing from this current group of elected officials we're now saddled with.

Everyone in the state of New Mexico, I imagine, has a story about Bruce King.

And for those of us fortunate to live in the Estancia Valley, we have more than one. Those of us who have worked in journalism for awhile have even more.

I first met Gov. King the summer I attended Boys State on the campus of New Mexico Military Institute. He shook my hand and that was the extent of our encounter, which I figured to be our first and last. Who knew?

Fast forward a dozen or so years into the future, after King had finished serving his second term and after he served his third and after he lost that last election.

King was enjoying retirement, but of course Alice, his wife of 61 years, never really slowed down. We bumped into each other again at a community forum for children's issues or something of that nature. The governor had come with his wife, but obviously didn't find the subject as interesting as Alice. I was there to cover the meeting and at one point I looked over and the governor was nodding off. Alice gave him what looked like a sharp elbow and he came awake. It made me laugh.

As the meeting progressed, I found that the governor and I shared a similar ailment — a full bladder — and we headed to the facilities at the same time. It was in the men's room as we washed our hands where the governor introduced himself. I told him my name and he asked if I was related to someone with the same last name, who turned out was my grandmother — a Republican until the day she died. The governor had a few kind words about my grandmother and how she must be proud of her grandson.

Fast forward a couple of more years and to when I started working as a reporter out here in the Estancia Valley. Bruce and Alice showed up one day at the office, just to say hello to the staff.

When he saw me, he did three things; called me by name, grasped my shoulder with one hand and shook my hand with the other. This, of course, is the famous Bruce King handshake that just about everyone in the state of New Mexico experienced. But the governor had a way of making you feel like you were the only one who deserved such a greeting, even when you watched him do the same to others in the room. And he always did. It's always interesting to see a politician "work a room" and Bruce King was probably the best.

After being here in the Estancia Valley for awhile I got a call from the governor's son, Gary King, who is now attorney general.

"You want to join us for breakfast?" he asked. By us he meant the governor and his brothers Sam and Don, as well as Mike Anaya and Richard Romero, who was running for Congress at the time. Sure it was an opportunity for Romero to get some press, but that would have happened regardless of whether we were sitting around a table at El Comedor or at a news conference. And after rereading the story just now, Romero probably looked at the story as not so positive. I asked questions and some he answered, others he didn't.

But the Kings welcomed me, asked me my opinion and treated me as a participant, not just as an observer.

That kind of courtesy from politicos can be disarming because you feel you are being sold a bridge in Stanley. I don't know if Gov. King was sincere in the way he treated people, I didn't know him well enough. I do know this, though, you can't maintain a false sincerity for very long, and there is no reason to do so long after the polls have closed.

Those are my stories about Bruce King, and I'd like to hear from anyone who would like to share with our readers their own stories about the former governor.

Contact Rory McClannahan at 823-7102 or online at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .