Passing Out CCMC Forum Flyers in Front of P.O.

(Just stand over there & hold the umbrella)

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Tom Davis Mason County Progressive

A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE

One of the hardest things to do is stand outside on the sidewalk and hand out flyers to people as they bustle by. It’s a humbling experience, but one everyone who thinks they’re too old, too smart or too important should do, if only to remind themselves that they’re just another spoke in the wheel of something much bigger than themselves.

It’s Saturday, raining cat and dogs, the big game is on and every bone in my body is screaming for me to lie on the sofa and turn on the TV. But a stack of flyers are sitting on the dining room table, and every time I make a move toward the TV something tells me that sleep will not come easily tonight if I opt for the easy road.

Like most people, I can pretty much rationalize myself out of just about anything I don’t want to do, evidenced by the eight pictures in need of hanging that are leaning against walls throughout the house.

But this time it’s different: the flyers announce an open forum event about the Adage incinerator proposal to be hosted by Concerned Citizens of Mason County (CCMC) at the Shelton Civic Center, on Wednesday, January 19th, between 7-9 PM.

A lot of people have worked long hours for no money and little appreciation to mount this effort, and I just can’t bring myself to drop the ball (damn, the ball; I‘m going to miss the game). So I ask my wife, Amy, if she’ll go with me to hand out flyers in front of the Post Office (she hates football) and she says yes…if I buy her lunch.

So off we go, out into the pouring rain, standing in front of the PO. Almost immediately a likely looking candidate for attendance to the forum emerges; an elderly woman with an armful of letters descends the stairs, holding onto the handrail for dear life; taking one step at a time, as if any miscalculation would prove fatal. I wait at the bottom of the stairs feeling very much like a leopard poised to cull the weak from the herd, but all the time thinking “please don‘t fall, please don’t fall”, as she carefully picks her way down the stairs.

Finally the woman reaches the sidewalk and I go in for the kill(?). She’s surprised, head snapping to attention like a frightened gazelle. “Pardon me, ma’am,” I say in my most un-intimidating voice. “But do you mind if I give you this flyer about a community meeting at the Civic Center?” At least that’s what I thought I said. But apparently what she heard was “Give me all your money and you won’t get hurt”, because she at once clutched her handbag to her bosom as if it were her first born. “What?” she said, “What do you want?” Her voice was shrill and fearful, and I could feel little beads of sweat popping out from my forehead.

“No ma’am,” I said, “I don’t want anything, except to invite you to an open community forum at the Civic Center on Wednesday.” She eyed me carefully, then leaned in and sniffed the air. “Why don’t you get a real job,” she snapped, “and stop pestering people,” and pushed passed me as if I were a turnstile.

I turned to my wife, now laughing so hard tears mixed with driving rain were cascading down her face. “Here,” she said, “Just stand over there and hold the umbrella and let me hand out the flyers.”

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful; wife smiling; handing out flyers to warm, outstretched hands of perfect strangers, seemingly eager to absorb new information. Over in the corner, I lurked under the umbrella, content to clutch a stack of reserve flyers close to my bosom, as if it were my first born.

SHELTON BLOG NOTE:

Link to previous blog post for more information about the CCMC Forum:
Community Forum 1/19/11, 7-9 PM, Civic Center