ChuckTurchick missed R T Rybak at the May Day Parade on Sunday, May 13, so he wrote him this letter:

Dear Mayor Rybak:

We missed you at the May Day Parade today. I thought you never missed this event—or at least you always had about a dozen or more supporters marching and waving "R. T." signs. It would have been a wonderful opportunity to take sort of a victory lap for your success on the Vikings stadium vote.

Someone suggested that maybe you didn't want to seem to take all the glory and wanted others to share in it. But I responded that I had never known you to be shy in the past about rejoicing after successful campaigns you've waged on behalf of Minneapolis and its citizens.

Another person said maybe it was a sign you weren't going to run for office again. I replied that you still would have relished celebrating this people's victory with the people of Minneapolis. Plus, you could have come and demonstrated how in touch you are with the citizens on this issue. That could only be a plus in any future effort for electoral office or even if you might seek an appointed position.
Finally, someone told me that maybe you thought you might be booed if you made an appearance. "What?" I said. "Have you not heard the mayor say time after time that the people are behind him on this, that this is a People's Stadium, that this is an incredible deal for the city what with future Target Center renovations and reduced property taxes? Certainly no one would have booed him. That's absolutely silly."

Whatever the reasons for you or your marching contingent not appearing, I'm sure they were in furtherance of the interests of the citizens of Minneapolis.
Hope you can make it next year.

Sincerely,
Chuck Turchick