Annoying Day

Tuesday proved to be one of the more annoying days I've had lately, frustrating anyway. When I got back to town this past weekend, I discovered an editorial I had written (before my trip to Atlanta) about a jail escape the county sheriff tried to sweep under the rug last week had been changed to include an "inaccuracy." My editor had interviewed the sheriff for a news story about the incident and the sheriff had lied. Surprise! Surprise!

I dug around until I confirmed the original facts but the publisher didn't want to print a correction the way I wrote it. I told him I stood behind my contacts 110% but I wouldn't reveal their identities even to him. Not only could they lose their jobs, they would probably be blacklisted here (or even worse). I feel if am willing to take a personal risk and to do what it takes to protect people who trust me, it should be good enough. We shall see if it is when the paper hits the stands today. I will be quite disappointed if it isn't, and that's putting it mildly. Disappointed but not surprised. Too many jelly spines here for many surprises.

This blog is supposed to be light so on that note, at least I'm not in jail (yet) and so far most of the local gendarmes are still speaking to me. The sheriff will practically climb out a window to avoid talking to me, especially after my editorial last January about yet another jail escape in which I took him to task personally for lack of cooperation with the press and public, so it comes as no surprise he ignores me.

Just seeing him pretend not to see me when we meet is a highlight as far as I am concerned. Also funny as %*##.