The envelope felt funny, padded, like it contained a lacy undergarment, or a whoopee cushion, or so I guessed.

Though addressed to yours truly, the sender's name was unfamiliar.

Grace Friedman?

Who is Grace Friedman?

Inside the packet I found a potholder [see photo above], and the answer.

Grace Friedman is the 92-year-old mother of Jonathan Friedman. And, as Jonathan's mom explains in the letter that accompanied the potholder, she wants me to vote for her son in Tuesday's special election.

Here's a snippet from the letter:

Dear Neighbor:

Isn't the enclosed potholder a much better way of getting people to remember my son's name � Jonathan Friedman, the best Democrat for State Senate � than posting unsightly signs on telephone poles and construction sites in our wonderful neighborhood?"

As far as political gimmickry goes, this one was good for a grin, and it worked. I fell for it. I'm writing about it.

Besides that, we're cooking a lot more meals in the Sullivan family kitchen these days (all of them) and we needed another potholder.

So, thanks, I guess, to Jonathan's mom, who, incidentally, was born in my hometown of Detroit. I'm not endorsing anyone in this race, but, well, I'm sure I'll think of her and her son every time I make eggs for at least the next few months.

-- TJ Sullivan