Last week with hardly any meetings to attend, now that the Economic Summit was wrapped up, I just thought it was a good time to head up north and do some ice fishing. Yes...I did stop by briefly at the dogsled race in Duluth, but after giving some pointers to my stringer reporters who were covering the event, I headed on over to Normal, Mn..
After getting comfortable at the Hideaway Lounge, where all the walls are filled with 30 point bucks, and where coffee and non-alcoholic drinks are not even served, I simply asked Herman right out:
"Herman we have a program back in Wisconsin parts called the "50 who Count" where distinguished persons get their name in the paper and their biographies and such....it is a real positive thing back in our home town. Do you have anything like that up here in Normal, Mn.?
Herman let out a huge bellylaugh.
'Shucks, Wolfman,(that's what he always called me.) Up here in Normal,Mn. , we have a program like that, but we call it the "250 That Count".!!!!!!!
" But Herman, there are only 245 people in all of Normal. How do you come up with 250?"
"That's the exciting part. This past year we were 5 people short....and the young folks got involved and stepped forward in a leadership capacity and ....well....the first five newborns made the list. It was a real competition. Up here in Normal, we have the saying, "In Normal, Mn., EVERYONE counts."
I was just stunned. To think that young couples would take it upon themselves to get pregnant just to meet a deadline of 250 population for the year...was surprising.
It sure is good to get back home....where we don't get in such foolish competitions...and where even though we might say that Everyone counts, we would not make a citywide contest about it.
1 comment:
It's altogether too easy to drive through any given town and point out the no-accounts who don't count for much.
Then you have the ones who tend to overcount themselves. If you could buy them for what they're worth and sell them for what they think they're worth you could turn a mighty handsome profit.
Life ain't beanbag. Not everyone is gonna get a trophy. But if you put in a little effort you can be one of those who count for something.
Post a Comment