Diplomacy (June 1993)

This post is part of a series of editorials written by Bert Walsh during his tenure as president and past president of the Shasta Historical Society. Readers are advised that his humor is often irreverent and rarely politically correct. 

Click here for the table of contents for the entire collection of his editorials.

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The paper recently have been reviewing the record of President Clinton's first 100 days in office. Now I find it difficult to empathize with Rhodes Scholars, attorneys and folks from Arkansas. However, after nearly a year of presidential calisthenics, I can sure feel sorry for the poor kid. It just don't get any better, Bill.

Our year began with a memorable hike to the site of the Ruggles Brothers stage robbery. Because of the warm weather and booby traps along the road, our casualty list approached that of the holdup. No fatalities, though; good going, gang.

And wasn't it a hoot when the speaker for the November meeting took sick, and we had to improvise a do-it-yourself program. And didn't the Board--four dirty old men and Callie--have fun interviewing candidates for the Office Manager position. However, reason prevailed, and we hired a guy who was qualified--Wayne. And when the State required us to submit a "Safety Program." for Wayne`s protection guess who had to take time-out for the newsletter, down a couple of beers and make one up. It seems to have worked out all right; at least the "Safety Program" didn't appear in the newsletter.

On the diplomatic front, we mobilized when the city engineering department decided to tear down a stone substation dating from the turn of the century. We generated a barrage of irate letters and at their next meeting a sympathetic City Council was so eager to tell the City Manager to butt out that they forgot to ask for public comment. Pretty soon the whole affair started to sound like a Historical Society meeting. But what the heck, we won.

Something like Viet Nam happened when we opposed a loud but irresponsible effort to scrap a footbridge under construction on National Park Service land at the Tower House. Their plan was to build an inaccurate representation of a covered bridge instead. About that time, the County Supervisors, Senator Quentin Hook from San Francisco and the McClatchy newspaper chain came out four-square for apple pie, motherhood and covered bridges. At least they spelled my name right. That was when the newsletter started carrying inspirational messages about telephone pests. At this writing, a perfectly adequate steel bridge is in place, and I find I am smoking, drinking and cursing a lot less. The dog and Hillary seem happier too.

We still have a couple of domestic problems to deal with. Fair time is coming and Callie can't get the door to the school house open. Maude tells me that the coffee maker is leaking. I feel strongly that the Board has grounds to impeach me. I certainly hope that they see their duty and act promptly. 

--BTW

P. S. A love note to Betty Shurtleff and Al Weissberg praising their taste in newsletters and positive comments.

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