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Show IEPlDfJ Submit a Guest Editorial & Opinion or Opinion at our office, located at 538 South State in Orem. Deadlines are Monday 10:00 a.m. All submissions are subject to editing for length, and The Orem-Geneva Times reserves the right to publish or not to publish a submission. Page 2 Thursday, June 13, 2002 TIMES CO M MtNTARY t Editorial 7 tr: C I i I -.abating ,r c: i some t l'Xrf fte best in people. We : : : : : scf the same things happen : ', ? election of Elizabeth Smart t ii-y tiler Sept 11 - helping j l 1 irj'rstanding hearts. ;S.?Vllr people donated blood, t j d. ::j coney and they called fami-1 fami-1 r rrj t3 nuke sure they were safe. I'xt;3, hen Elizabeth Smart was Id J rei, Utahns didn't hesitate to do 11vis to the Rachael Alert system, t! r.T of Elizabeth's abduction quickly r: ! rationally. And although most vol-rz. vol-rz. :j are from the Salt Lake area, peo-l peo-l ; . 3 all over the country have helped -Safari the teen-ager. The Laura twy Center Foundation in Texas ccjs up to Utah to aid in the search. 03 v-!- By last Thursday, more than 1 unteers had begun searcLi-j f;r Elizabeth. Some of the same vclt;:r; searched again Friday and brer;1 1 tlr'r ' friends with them. T These are not the only people rial helped. Hundreds of volunteers, crj.r i i direction of The Church of Jesus Clrl 1 1 Latter-day Saints distributed "j v. of fliers, featuring Elizabeth's President Gordon B. Hincilcy Elizabeths family to offer co . :L" ; C. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorcn cf the Twelve Apostles spoke to the :rcj:t family's ward members on Sunday. More than 20 volunteer pilots used private pri-vate aircrafts to search the Salt Lake ez x from the air. One Provo woman even used her catering cater-ing business to make and distribute f.rl i , .2 . tl.... 3 t , 2 .. rc.?y not brir I tut ct l;-;titwUlJL-i tl-it.:irr.-." "era care.. t t if sc, j eusH.it Lr U;iics era wJr.j to dj Celr - - :;af ; ' n( t a l-y it a it v : r - - f -, Utah Vbley Oder Quest of the Center for Lifelong Learning at Utah Valley State College is composed of some 200 local senior citizens, many of whom are involved in recalling and writing down their memories and life experiences, such as the one presented here. - (Dur Elder Quest Memories - By Richard Rasmuscen r When Jt Stained Sitae Doilcm Willard Adams, postmaster and wise, knew that a school teacher's summer vacation was actually three months of unemployment, unem-ployment, so he offered me a summer job as a postal clerk, if I would swear I was not a Republican, so Cliff Cummings, County democratic Committee Chairman, would approve. Luckily, I was Lucille Cummings' favorite teacher, and, as an only child, she could manipulate Cliff. .Willard Adams said mv 5 came through with1"' 'speed. I readily mastered the art of selling three-cent stamps and one-cent postcards. I could make change for a silver dollar with confidence and poise and even change a twenty dollar bill, which was quite exciting. We weren't programmed for "Have a good day." We just said Thank you," whether our customer had a good day, or not. I studied the Postal Laws and Regulations, lovingly called P.L. and R. -impressed and somewhat intimidated intimi-dated by the frequent mention of The Orem-Geneva Times 538 South State Street Orem, UT 84058 published by The Daily Herald, A Pulitzer Newspaper Subscriptions & Delivery Service 375-5103 Newt & Advertising 225-1340 Fm-. 225-1341 Email orermimesnetworld.com USPS 411-711. Published Thursdays by Pulitzer Newspapers, Inc., 538 South State Street, Orem, Utah 84058. Periodicals postage paid at Orem, Utah 84059. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 65, Orem, UT 84059. Member Audit Bureau of Circulations NEWSSTAND PRICE $0.50 SUBSCRIPTION RATE 1 year-$18 (in area) 1 year -$39 (out of area) NEWS We welcome news tips. Call 225- 1 340 to report a news tip or if you have a comment or a question. We welcome letters to the editor. All letters must include the author's name (printed AND signed) and a telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, punctuation, taste and length. Letters are welcome on the Postal Inspector, whom I perceived per-ceived as a cross between a spy and an executioner. Mail came in, daily, by the Park train going North at mid-morning, mid-morning, and by the Park train going South at seven in the evening. We sorted the mail, tied the first class into small bundles, by city or state - sometimes merely by North or South to let the railway mail clerk to do the rest. We threw the mail, first agazines, advertisements arcel Dost into canvas mail bags for Mr. Bramwell, with his pick-up and a contract, to deliver to the train station. On Sunday evening, we tied out only first class mail, which was a small bundle each for Rexburg, St. Anthony, Ashton and West Yellowstone. As the summer clerk, I tied out the Sunday mail alone. My chief concern con-cern was to be sure it took me the full two hours, for which I was paid 75 cents an hour. Thus, I sometimes had to look twice at the same letter to make sure it read "Ashton", and not West Yellowstone. Also, on Sundays, the Park train didn't actually stop at Rigby, unless there was a Rigby passenger on board, which hadn't happened since Joe Riley was caught speeding in Idaho Falls and had to give his driver's license up and take the train home. The train only slowed down to a crawl. Mr. Bramwell hung the one light bag on a crossbar, cross-bar, that "was fastened at rail car height to an upright pole, and the railway mail clerk would snatch it with a sheep hook as the train passed by. One Sunday night, I saw that Mr. Farmer, the banker, and after the welfare office, our biggest customer, had mailed 1000 silver dollars in a canvas bag to the bank in Ashton, clearly marked "first class". I knew a dilemma when I saw one. A hasty "read" of P.L. and R. said specifically that first class mail would be dispatched dis-patched in the fastest, most expeditious expe-ditious manner. Yet, I could see in my mind's eye, that hanging a bag of silver dollars that weighed at least 50 pounds on a slender pole would be difficult and snatching it with a sheep hook from a moving train would be a challenge, indeed. I took comfort in knowing that experienced Mr. bramwell would know what to do, when he came to pick up the mail. By untimely coincidence, that night, Mr. Bramwell did not come. Instead, as a substitute, came bis young son, who was as inexperience, as was L We read P.L. and R , together, and agreed that it said "send" so "send" we did. I wondered atythe way home about young Bramwell and the 50 pound bag of 1000 silver dollars, dol-lars, hanging from a pole to be snatched by a railway clerk with a sheep hook from a moving train. But, as I had already learned some of the beurocratic ethic, I decided it was their problem, prob-lem, not mine. Next morning, Willard called me two hours, before I was to report for work. By radio and telephone, the whole town had been alerted, as well as half the county. Young Bramwell had hung the bag on the cross-bar, alright, which, he said later, bent down a little. The railway clerk had bravely caught the bag with his trusty sheep hook, but the bag had broken open and only 25 dollars came aboard the train. Nine hundred and seventy five silver dollars were scattered along the railroad track to Thornton, on to Lorenzo and halfway to Rexburg, where the train stopped. Already, local farmers and others oth-ers were calling in. Some honest souls bringing bright, silver dollars dol-lars to the sheriff's office, the bank and the post office. Boy Scouts and other volunteers were out searching seven miles along the railroad tracks, until nearly 700 dollars were found before the postal inspector arrived. He, immediately, with a deadly gleam in his eye, instituted another search in a very authori tative manner. In two days of fear and trepidation, nearly 800 dollars had been recovered. Willard Adams was a true and loyal leader, throughout the ordeal. He and I were questioned, relentlessly, by the inspector, but he always said "we" and never blamed me. He said that Mr. Farmer, the banker, often sent silver dollars by mail, but that they were never before, of course, hung on a pole. To me, he said "You knew the regulations, well You just didn't know the exceptions." excep-tions." Even the postal inspector saw some humor in the incident, but declared that he would continue the investigation. I was not hanged from my scaffold, as I had feared, nor sent to jail. I did not even lose my summer job. Some time later, while tying out the Sunday mail, I heard about Pearl Harbor on the radio. Soon after, I left town. Two wars later, World War II and Korea, three children later and several changes in career, as well .as geography, having taught Nuclear Weapons Effects, Gas, Germ Warfare and other courses at the National War College in Rangoonunna, I wound up as the Director, or in British vernacular, Commandant of the Defense and Preparedness Staff College in Battle Creek, Michigan, often commuting to the Pentagon. Many of the 30 years, since I worked in the Post Office, I exchanged Christmas Cards with Willard Adams. About 1971 he wrote to me thus: "I am 90 and long retired. Mr. Farmer has all but 41 of his dollars back and has decided not to sue the Government. I told him if the resident res-ident of a bank couldn't pick up 41 dollars easily, he should change jobs. The Postal Inspection Service, if not fast, is throughout; but I think I have just recently answered the last letter about your dispatch of the 1000 silver dollars. Don't know if you caused it, but we now use paper dollars out here. Merry Christmas, Willard Adams. tnr , ytW'M; ' Timpanogos Green CJkL A-GIfTfI)Rf7iTO' When David said, 'Next week is Fathers Day; Let's get him something nice! What do you say?" Nine children, who had children of their own, Said, "What a great idea! Let's float a loan! One smiled, "Let's book a trip around the world, And fly Dad out to get his wings unfurled! We all know Dad is slightly off his rocker. Let's send him to the World Series of Soccer!" They tried to pick the perfect gift for Dad: "It must be something special, really rad! "A Lamborghini!" Richard said. "He thrives On really red-hot autos that he drives. And when he revs that chariot of fire, He'll think he's joined the Tabernacle Choir!" You silly geese," Rosanna said. "His goal Is playing Hamlet In the SCERA Bowl. Our Dad would never settle for a Ford, Should he receive the Academy Award!" No matter that the times be smooth or rough, His children never think they give enough! 'Let's have the city make our Dad a key To honor him," said April Melody. "No!" Merrie Kristy, coyly, cried. "Our Dad Must have the coolest thing he ever had: A thousand dollar suit with shark-skin shoes Should stand him in good stead, when he may snooze!" But Skylar scowled and said, "That's quite absurd! "Our Father must receive a special bird: A penguin from the South Pole, he deserves, In case the grandchildren may gnaw his nerves. " Marchelle said, she knew just what Dad should get: Some lengthy lessons in the Minuet "He really needs to know just how they dance, Should Regis Philbin send him off to France." Just then, the son named Skipper intervened, Proclaiming Dad should never be demeaned. "Lef s give him something very soft and sweet, Just so it is not something he can eat!" His sons and daughters worried and they frowned To make his Fathers Day the most profound! Then, David spoke to Allyson: "A chair Would be the perfect gift, I do declare!" Reclining chair to tend his tired feet! A charming chair that sports the softest seat. A LA-Z-BOY to cherish all his charms, And padded well to bless his boney arms. They all agreed. As Fathers Day then dawned, Their gift was needed every time he yawned. Now, many days, he loves to sit and see Exciting motion pictures on TV. And so, on Fathers Day, no gift Is silly, When It Is boldly bought at R. C. Willey. And when, at last, Dad leaves this life of by, He shall be buried In his LA-Z-BOY! i ! i IV V -' I HATeWr ) ( li j. - - - :J b L:C.r.li:.j:nTr.:3,ourd::::,i3for'' " "'3 t: : t c:d to 1(WX) ajn. 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