Thursday, January 30, 1997
By Steve Patterson
I'm going to take a bit of a risk and hope that I don't regret it, but I
believe it to be but a small example of why Monahans is a great place to
live. I realize that some cretin may read this and decide to take
advantage of the situation, but so be it.
Last Thursday morning I placed a stack of 35 newspapers in front of our
post office. Next to the papers, as usual, I placed an old coffee can
for people to pitch in their change. It's an honor system.
I picked up the can that afternoon and started doing the math in my head
- no small task for pea-brain like me. "Now, let's see, 35 papers at 50
cents each should be..." To see me do math is like watching Jethrooo
Bodine on the old Beverly Hills "cipher". Anyway, I figured the Monahans
News had $17.50 due from our post office customers.
Now, before I go any further, to put this situation in perspective, a
fellow publisher in another West Texas town recently told me he was
having problems with theft of his papers.
So, imagine my surprise when instead of $17.50 in the can, I found
$18.17. Now compare this with the recent tory from Miami that made
national headlines. It seems an armored truck overturned and spilled its
money out into the freeway. I think they recovered about 75 cents.
Although it's only $18.17, this town can not buy a reputation for
honesty like that for a million bucks...at least not with me. Now, my
problem is, what am I going to do with that extra 67 cents? I'm thinking
about framing it and hanging it in my office.
In case you're from out of town and thinking about ripping-off my little
coffee can, go ahead and take it. Use the money to buy a tank-full of
gas to get out of town.
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The Monahans News needs stories of romance, love and fateful meetings.
For our Valentine's edition, we want to print stories of how couples
met. If you know a couple that came together in an unusual or extremely
romantic way, please call the News office at 943-4313 and ask for Linda
Stephens. Romantic stories that deal with candle-lit shotgun weddings
and unusual barroom bets will not be considered.
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I would like to send best wishes and my prayers to Edith Grissom, the
Monahans News Official Sandhills State Park Correspondent. If you're
reading this, Edith, I'm still waiting for you to take me for a barefoot
stroll through the and dunes under a full moon...with my wife and
children, of course.
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FROM THE SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW, BUT I NEVER MISSED IT DEPARTMENT:
Deputy Editor Jerry Curry and I had the honor of participating as judges
at least weekend's UIL speech competition hosted by Monahans High
School. During one young lady's oration, she brought up the fact that
Cher had two ribs removed in order to have a slimmer waist. I suggested
to Curry that he try the same thing, but he had trouble finding two ribs.
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I hate to extract promises in print, but Charlie Walker, director of
Monahans Economic Development Corporation, has promised me some juicy
news concerning potential investors coming to Ward County. Now, Chuck,
don't make me come looking for ya.
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NOTE TO SCHOOL PRINCIPALS: You'll hear from me soon. Have those
ideas ready...
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Copyright 1997 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail news@bitstreet.com