Dad’s Day Deliberations: E-Things; C’Mon Mr. Candidate; And Isolation Theories

Our second D-Day in June, this one devoted to Old Dad, aka Pops, Pa, Papa and maybe, for some, Pater. Tip of the treasured Joe Swing barracks cap and a toast to you today, Sarge. Thanks for everything.

It has been an interesting month so far with our elections playing out, the FBI visiting the offices and homes of local officials, things beginning with the letter “E” – E-bikers and Entertainment Zones – attracting attention and theories developing about the odd psychological pall that seems to be hanging over the area of late.

We’re still trying to figure that out. Perhaps it’s the traditional, quiet summer exodus – people leaving the area in favor of family trips – perhaps it’s related to the current economy, we’re not quite sure. But things have been quiet and people have mentioned an undercurrent of uncertainty coupled with economic hardships exacerbated by recent layoffs and increases in the general cost of life.

Contradictory reports and statistics countering our anecdotal impressions are being tendered and we’re hoping they’re based on some kernel of truth. At the same time we continue to hear of local hiring drawdowns, layoffs, and closures – along with hopeful stories of new businesses arriving to set up shop in the 24/680.

Bon chance to all and, if we can help, let us know.

In that vein we must mention that people often forget that we, too, are a small local business. While many see us as a “news service” available to them at no charge we do operate as any business – depending on various revenue streams to ensure our continued operation.

While money and continued revenue is, of course, important to us we hasten to remind readers that we are scribblers and picture-takers first and business people second. Dad, a businessman of some repute after he finished jumping out of Army aircraft, tried to teach us the importance of good business practices but, we’ll admit, we were slow learners.

Those who do pay us for various services have found us both forgiving and fast, quick to act on a customer’s request and forgiving of those who dawdle when it comes to payment. This past election cycle we worked quickly to place ads for various political campaigns and paused a bit before invoicing the respective campaign.

We were gratified when, as is usually the case, each customer forwarded payment – except, that is, for one. We hate pushing for monies owed but when a standout candidate who, as it turned out had won their respective election, failed to remit a comparatively small amount in payment we were left scratching our heads, and eventually issued a reminder. And a second. And a third.

Contact with the candidate resulted in the comically standard “the check is in the mail” response. When that proved untrue a couple of times we began to re-think our billing practices, keeping in mind that we had just helped a customer win election to a position giving them access to millions of dollars beyond the few he owes us.

As grating as an unpaid debt may be to us, zooming e-bike hooligans are to others. From the moment we first spotted out these speedy little chariots in the marketplace we posited that renegade forces – apparently boys age 12-15 – were going to go all Mad Max on them.

Seniors, avid walkers, human-powered bikers and others have all reported being buzzed and sometimes aggressively harassed by mobile youngsters with potty mouths and a family attorney on speed-dial. There have been confrontations – some of them making their way to video and appearing on our pages – and the police are past their “educational period” and appear to be in the “enforcement” stage of their effort to curtail e-abuse.

There have been confrontations, with red-faced soccer dads who may be past their prime attempting to chase down speedy little buggers unafraid to stop and hurl abuse at puffing citizens before speeding off. Whatever happened to respect for one’s elders? And giving a fella a fighting chance?

Quaint notions, apparently, and lost on this new generation of Junior “Johnny’s” from The Wild One. These little dudes are fast.

Well, people are riled up and meetings are being held and speed limits imposed. It remains to be seen if they are observed but if we were betting men we’d have to say no.

Stay cool out there. We don’t want to lose anyone. And we’ll just have to see where all this leads us.