13,195. STOP IT ALL SHORT

STOP IT ALL SHORT

Used to be, when the deadline for copy

came I was always ready; it loomed

over my head as near constant. I'd

scramble the copy and get it sent over.

By morning, hell, it was already printed.

-

Then the calls would start  -  Did you

really write that? I can't believe? Why

would you phrase it that way? What a

stupid point of view?...

-

Of course, and don't get me wrong, there

were calls from the other side too. Another

nice piece. It made me feel warm to read it.

You sure have a good grasp of things.

-

This was all before the Internet babble. When

a phone number printed was a phone number

called, and people were willing to talk not

just jab. I'd get proud of myself, if only just

for that  -  garnering a sensible response from

a world filled with interested eyes.

-

No longer that, now. The sabers are as sharp

as a prison shiv, mean and foul, hit and miss,

cut and run. There's no shield, and people are

shameless. Their diction perfunctory, and their

minds, mostly dead for discussion, just rant
or go aimless : Nothing to do about that.