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OPINION
Feb. 6, 1997
Letter from the editor
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I received a letter this week from a former Monahans resident now
living in the piney woods of East Texas. His first name is Billy and I
think - due to my poor eyesight - his last name may be Wright. He writes
that he was born and raised here and that he moved to the other end of
the state in 1960.
With his letter was included a copy of a column he had clipped out of
the Shelby County newspaper written by Harry Peelor, president of the
local Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Peelor writes that he and his wife, Ruth were driving their RV
through our town on their way to California for a Christmas vacation.
They stopped to do some grocery shopping when they were approached by a
man. I'll let you read the rest of the story about this encounter with a
Monahans citizen in Mr. Peelor's own words.
"He asked us, `Are you visitors in Monahans?' Admitting that was true,
he then continued, addressing my wife. `Well I was visiting with Santa
the other day and he said you had been a good girl and that I should
give you a kiss.' While I was deciding what action I should take, the
stranger pulled a candy kiss from a bag and gave it to Ruth. `And you,'
he added, looking at me, `I think you have been a good boy and Santa
would want you to have this candy bar.'
Mr. Peelor goes on to tell his readers that this Monahans stranger
told them about the many benefits of living in our town and how the
people here are great. The Peelors were made to feel welcome.
"It is refreshing to find someone who is truly proud of their
community and wants others to know about it. It is quite a contrast with
a bumper sticker I saw in a California city. It read `We are glad you
are visiting - now go home.'"
He goes on to say that he wished the people in Shelby County would
take a lesson from the man in Monahans.
As anyone who has ever spent 30 minutes in Monahans knows, Mr.
Peelor's column is all about Major M.O. Lisman, Marines, or better known
around here as "Moe."
Well, there is no doubt that Moe is one of our town's greatest
resources, and I see a real opportunity here for us to make some money.
I've talked this over with the city's Economic Development Corporation.
We figure that if the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce wants to bring
in Moe as a "Greeting and Hospitality Consultant," we can cut a deal.
Our price - firm, no haggling - is three 55-gallon barrels of gold
coin or half of Shelby County's annual rainfall. If Shelby County needs
help paying for Moe's services, they should contact the Florida Sugar
Growers Association and the American Dental Association. Those are two
organizations with deep-pockets and they both owe Moe a lot.
There are conditions to be met. Moe is a racehorse of the highest
caliber. He is to be housed in the Presidential Suite of the finest
hotel in Shelby County. He is to have eight beautiful secretaries, two
big limousine drivers and a giant bodyguard at his beck-and-call 24
hours per day. If Shelby County's local cuisine does not meet Moe's
exact approval, a chef must flown in from a fine Monahans eatery.
Now, as to Moe's working conditions; Moe will work no more than two
hours per day unless paid quadruple-time. During these two hours, he
will hand out no more than 35,000 pieces of candy, nor will he shake
more than 17,500 hands. These may seem like extra ordinary figures to
the uninitiated, but they actually represent Moe greeting people at a
leisurely pace. Also, Shelby County should have Moe's Marine
identification card reproduced for billboards and displayed prominently
along side all of Shelby County's major high ways. Every school child in
that county should be required to know that Moe was a Major in the
Marines and that he is a Loboes fan. The county seat of Shelby County
shall repaint all public buildings Lobo green.
Moe shall work for Shelby County no more than two days, at which time
he will be flown back to Monahans where he will be greeted with a
ticker-tape parade paid for by Shelby County.
If any of the terms of this proposal can not be met, then Moe will
stay right in Monahans where he'll work cheap. You see, if wealth could
be measured in friends, Moe is already a millionaire several times over.
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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
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