Friday, August 10, 2007

A Deal

I told you on Wednesday I had an invitation to write a monthly column for a weekly newspaper from a nearby town if you recall.

As of today now, I have a few things set up - yes, I will take the editor up on the offer and boy, will I struggle to write a clean, crisp, comprehendible copy. That will take some doing on my part.

It's been decided I do not have to submit a photo (headshot) to use in my header for the column. As much as I hate having my picture taken, the few I do have are of a terrible caliber and I would much prefer there be no photo and he says that is ok.

Name of the column is still at this time up in the air but I am leaning towards "Down River Journey." Someone had suggested I use the name of my blog but I don't know if that would be kosher or not. But, I would like to incorporate the "Down River" as part of the column name plus, the fact that the editor would like me to write it with the "Down River" area in mind so we shall see what he thinks of my suggestion above.

Topics - that hasn't been discussed per se. But, since he wants me to write about things as they impact me, and since I am also often a very opinionated individual too, I was thinking maybe I'd open with a nice calm subject - like illegal immigration. Now there's something to think about, huh? Nothing like starting off with something akin to preaching hell, fire, brimstone and damnation, huh?

My first deadline will be the Tuesday before the third Friday of September. Confused? So am I when I put it down like that -but then, to try to remember the actual date - which would be September 18th as being my deadline, hmmm - which way will be easier for me to keep track of? That's debatable there!

On another note - last evening, Mandy and the kids and I were going to run into Philipsburg to pick up some groceries but prior to doing that, we decided to stop at the West Branch Dairy Diner and have a bite to eat there. It's nice little restaurant - often referred to as "The Pumpkin House" since the building is painted a nice bright orange color. The current owner is a "home-town" girl - Maxine Fenush Orwick - and although I can't afford to eat out very often, I like to patronize her place now and again as the food is decent - nothing fancy - and reasonable prices too.

When we entered, as Mandy and I were surveying the seating availability, Maya just decided for us that we would take up the booth near the door. Even before we ordered, Maya had looked the place over and spotted some people seated at a table across the room from us - a man, three young girls (teenager-types) and a little girl in a high chair. And immediately, her refrain began - "Wan' see the peoples? Wan' see the baby?" Over and over she chanted that -and not in a low voice either I might add.

At one point, she was trying to crawl under the table and planning to sneak out and away from us to head over to that table all the while saying "Wan' go see the Dad and the mom and the other Moms and the baby?" (When Maya talks, sometimes her sentences are not actually questions to begin with but her tone of voice makes them sound like a question - hence the question marks here.)

Before the family left, the girls brought the toddler over to our booth so Maya could "See" her -and what does she do? Well naturally, she then promptly ignores the little one! However, Kurtis thoroughly enjoyed the visit as the toddler, who it turns out is three months older than him, reached up to him in the high chair and tried to give him a big hug!

It turned out the lady who was our waitress is the mother of the little one and of two of the teenagers too so it was her family Maya wanted so much to communicate with.

An older couple who had been seated behind us, when they went to leave, the gentleman came back to our booth and handed Mandy two little rubber balls - the size one would use if playing a game of Jacks - saying these were for the kids. He and his wife stood there and chatted with us for quite a while and then, we got around to talking about where we live, etc and it turns out they live in the little village of Lanse which is right up the way from where we live. "Oh, how nice and who are you?" became the question then with a surprise for me. (And, also for Mandy)

It turns out their youngest daughter works at the grocery store where Mandy had worked for about the past two years - till taking on the new job she has now. And furthermore, to my surprise, their two oldest daughters used to babysit my kids a long, long time ago - like about 30 years back in time!

It had been so long since I'd seen either of these folks I didn't recognize them at all.

I do need to get out of the house more often! LOL

11 comments:

Berni said...

I'm excited for you. Remember to save, save, save as you type. Can you put your word processor on auto save? Nothing worse than coming up with just the right phrase and you lose it.

Is it kosher for you to share the articles with us?

Keith said...

I don't know you...but your words were very kind to me. For that I thank you. I'm Keith...the guy you found through Dave the Lawyer. For some reason he stumbled upon my blog. I then entered his little contest and ended up winning. He sent me a check for $75 and asked me to by the orphans ice cream. My wife and I support an orphanage in Mexico. I cashed that check and posted pictures on my blog of me buying them all ice cream at a little ice cream stand in Imuris, Sonora, Mexico. Then you found me through him. What a small world huh?

Your ex-husband sounds like a very good man. Thanks for the kind words you said about me...but more importantly what you said about him. I'm am so glad he got sober. What a blessing. I was married once before and am estranged from my daughter from my first marriage. I did nothing less than abandon her really. I keep praying for the day that we may one day reunite. She is 23 now. I have told her my story but she is at this time unwilling to forgive me. I accept that, as it was not her fault. I do believe that one day we will reconcile. But if that day never comes? I can accept that too and move on knowing that I am sober now.

Again, thank you for your kind words. You are from PA. That is where my wife is from. The beuatiful town of Shenandoah in Schuykill County. God's country man!

Be well my friend, and take care of all of those kids and grandkids. They are a blessing in your life I am sure.

Linda said...

Best of luck on your new venture and it's good you've got a little over a month before that first deadline. If you can do so, it's always a good idea to have a couple stories "in the can" as it were just in case you get sick or something. Can't wait to hear how that goes for you.

Sounds like it's a small world there at the diner!

dr sardonicus said...

Thanks for stopping by Pole Hill!

The newspaper column seems to be a ready-made opportunity. Nothing wrong with mining your blog for material during the slow times, either - most of your little paper's readers probably aren't reading your blog anyway. Pick out your best stuff, fine-tune it, and send it to the paper. Good luck!

Shelby said...

I'm so excited about your upcoming newspaper column - - you're gonna have a blast doing that :)

lattégirl said...

Can you clarify something for me? In your previous post, you said the column would be about things that catch your eye in and around the community. So I'm wondering how/why illegal immigration would be your first topic. Is there some problem with immigration in and around your community? It strikes me that the topic seems a bit harsh for the very first column.

Just a thought, take or leave it, of course.

Jeni said...

Actually, I was tossing the "illegal immigration" in there more as a joke as it isn't the type of issue here as it is in many other communities. However, one thing that IS an issue here is discrimination, racism -probably mainly because we are pretty much out of the loop and have very few who live here who aren't white, much less from other ethnic groups. But, because of that, many around here hold to their old ways that those "different" should "go back where they came from" to which I once asked a local who was, like me, of dual ethnic ancestry, if he'd figured out which country he would return to - Slovakia or Sweden as I was having a hard time trying to figure out if I should go "back" to Sweden or Scotland. Needless to say, he didn't see the irony there. Nor do many people, not just here, but across the country in that unless we would happen to be 100% Native American, we are all "interlopers" in a manner of speaking.

lattégirl said...

Oh OK, that explains a bit... we have the age-old French-English discrimination here, and quite a bit more than that, too, relating to skin colour and such.

Unknown said...

My advice is just to keep it short, sweet and simple. Stick to the facts that you can verify through more than one source. Try to verify that the editor is having an affair and use that to get paid for your work.

Sex, Drugs, and Rock and roll are good topics. Steer clear of politics, religion and sports. Those three piss people off.

Start a public anit soy campaign. Maybe make your first column titled.. SAVE THE WEENIE!

Just a thought.

Later Y'all.

crpitt said...

Like Vic Grace said can we read it too?

That Keith sounds like a lovely bloke :)

I think you should go back to Scotland its lovely lol.

I think anything you write will be engaging, do you want folks to know about you? or for it to be a forum for your views and interests?

Debo Blue said...

I hope you share your columns with us!

Good luck and have fun!

Ignore Melon:-)