Columns

When you don't think you need to get away, that's exactly when you do. I just came back from vacation and I realized, after one day out of the office, I was past due. My vacation this year was to Anchorage, Alaska. I had written on the wall calendar in my office "Alice's Vacation Adventure 12-18" and looked at it every single day.

Last week a call came into the office from retired reporter Jack Nelson, who lives in Bethesda, Md. He wanted to ask a few questions regarding a letter he received from an East Washington Street address in Quincy. The letter informed Nelson that he was the winner of a $50,000 lottery. And just to show they were on the up and up, a check made out to Nelson in the amount of $985 was enclosed.

I’ve been experimenting over the past week. I decided to drive the speed limit. No pushing the limit, no the-cops-won’t-notice-if-I-go-a-mile-or-two-over attitude...none of that. I’ve driven the speed limit wherever I’ve gone, no excuses.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m as guilty as the next person of pushing the speed limit. When I’ve run late, I’ve driven faster than I should. I admit it. But this past week, I decided to do the right thing.

And it’s been a real education.

One Valentine’s Day we grew weary of the same old “Be Mine Forever” cards, the same old chocolate and the same old girls. Our town was fairly small. Me and Ricky, Yogi, Don and Buddy had been swapping cards with Jane, LaRenda, Graylene, Pam and Ruth Ann since the first grade. Miss Carolyn demanded it. Miss Dorothy, the next year, quoted her verbatim. And then Miss Belle and Miss Dinwiddie...well, you can see our problem.