Back - but not at the old stand.

• Author: Mintz, Elana
• Position: NCSL: The First 25 Years - Includes related article on changing jobs - Former Minnesota Representative Bob Haukoos returns as the legislature's doorman

This former legislator, now a doorman, is in but no longer of the Minnesota House.

The old saying, "you can't go home again," means nothing to former Minnesota Representative Bob Haukoos, who might add that the return visit can be even sweeter than the first.

Haukoos, a Minnesota state legislator for 15 years before he retired in 1994, came back to the House this year, but not to make laws. Instead, he mans the entrance to the House chamber as its doorkeeper.

Haukoos' primary responsibility these days is keeping out anyone not allowed inside the chamber, such as lobbyists, who must keep away from the large wooden doors he guards. Qualified entrants include members of the House and Senate, the media and special guests. Members of the public can enter the gallery through a separate door.

When the late Charlie Ward, the former doorkeeper, decided to call it quits in 1998 after holding the post for 11 years, Haukoos, missing his friends and the camaraderie with fellow legislators, applied for the job.

Although Haukoos, 68, had a jump-start on the job because of his tenure in the House, he still had some boning up to do on the new faces elected since he left. Before he had them all memorized, he asked for identification from two people who were a bit piqued to go through the trouble. They turned out to be senators, and Haukoos, embarrassed by the incident, went right back to his directory of legislators to commit their faces to memory.

Haukoos had to make some other adjustments in his routine for the new job. Rather than make his way into the chamber every morning to participate in the debate, he stands outside, listening to the piped-in speeches through speakers in the hall. He says he likes it that way and does not miss "pushing any buttons" by making an unpopular argument or standing firm on a position.

But with a constant ear to the wall and years of experience behind him, does he think things have changed since he left office?

One would be hard-pressed to get Haukoos, a Republican, to utter an unkind word about anyone - including those who do not share his political beliefs. He illustrates the atmosphere of the Minnesota House with a conversation he once overheard between two lobbyists: one a veteran of the railroad industry, the other a novice learning the ropes.

"Don't ever say anything bad to one legislator about another," said the old hand. "They may fight a lot on the floor and in committee, but at the end of the day they go out and...