A code compliance officer for the city of Cape Coral tried to remove every single fluttering yellow ribbon adorning the path of returning soldier PFC Amanda Smith. Luckily, the busy bee bureaucrat found pulling up the knee-high stakes exhausting, and had to call it a day before totally ruining the returning soldier's welcome home.
Although the mayor finds the situation silly, others in city government do not. I've offered to start a fund for them to have a group-visit to a proctologist for the purpose of having the large insects lodged in their rectums removed. That's how giving I am.
As for PFC Smith, she's off to get a pedicure and her hair done.
Welcome home, PFC Smith!
UPDATE:
It's a little hot over at City Hall.
The mayor is now doing the damage control that the city councilwoman and police spokesperson should have done when originally questioned about the story. Their anal 'rules is rules' response made things worse.
By contrast -- when my uncle returned from WWII, he called home to announce he was about 20 miles from town and would arrive on the next train. My folks' hometown is Bolton, Mississippi, about midway between Jackson and Vicksburg. Word that Uncle Buddy was coming home spread like lightning through the town of 800 people, which is about half white and half black. When Uncle Buddy's train pulled in, the entire town was standing by the tracks. They escorted him on foot, him wearing his uniform and carrying his duffel, the one mile home. When they arrived at my grandparents' place, he was told to go out back behind the house to see his Mamma. She knew she'd crumple at the sight of the boy she'd sent away at 17 and now returned after 3 years, and she didn't want everyone to see. The crowd stayed in the front yard while they had their reunion.
Posted by: Salt Lick at May 4, 2005 01:20 PMThe public servants in Cape Coral tend to be the worst of the small-pond, pointless authoritarians.
Growing up there, my dad would call the cops jerks - and he's an ex-cop.
Posted by: Bill from INDC at May 4, 2005 04:06 PMI could see one little jerk out there, but it's the attitude of the people in city government in the article that got me. What a sorry, ungrateful bunch.
Posted by: Donnah at May 4, 2005 04:37 PMWelcome home PFC Smith.
Check out this page if you get time!!
http://www.operationopenarms.com/
Posted by: Cindy at May 4, 2005 10:04 PMGovernment folks are rarely responsive to criticism of inappropriate or stupid acts. The are usually much more responsive to the criticism that this kind of activity is indicative of them HAVING TOO MUCH BUDGET.
Posted by: Roberto at May 5, 2005 03:30 PMYou got that right, Roberto.
Posted by: Donnah at May 6, 2005 01:51 PM