by Mickey Floyd
I’ve been around for a few more years than I like to admit to and have been blessed with somewhat of a sheltered life, but I’ve opened enough closed doors and walked in enough dark corrals to have had more of my share of surprises, so I think there’s not much left to shock me. Tuesday night, a week ago, was one of these exceptions; I had just finished my daily dose of "Cops" on TV, and was waiting for my very old computer to warm up as the phone rang. I never answer this device because it’s never for me. The last three calls for me were some idiots trying to sell me credit card protection. If they were not idiots, they would have known that all my cards have been canceled. It would seem that the biggest threat to my credit cards is me, but that’s a whole different story. As the computer was finally bringing up a screen saver, I heard Retha answer the phone and could tell by her side of the conversation that this was anything but a normal call. "Hello...Yes...Who?...Yes, he’s here...Who is this again ...OK ...Mickey, pick it up. State Representative Mike Thomson wants to talk to you." Yea, you’re right. I was surprised. Still thinking this was some type of a gag, I challenged the called and was assured that he was in fact who he claimed.
Seems that while in Jefferson City the day before, I was one of many to leave him a letter of response requesting him to rethink some of the issues on "truth in advertising" on the content of what is or is not in milk. "Local control" where all the problems will be handled in Jefferson City and not at a town or even county level. And CAFO, where the taxpayer picks up the tab (usually in the millions) to try to clean up the mess left after the rape and pillage of our farm lands. Right about here, I am thinking we must have gotten his attention. The next ten minutes was a debate, with him assuring me that I had not read the small print in the bill, and I was confused as to the intent, and at the same time I am assuring him that nothing about forcing farm families to move off their land because it was contaminated confused me except why anyone would knowingly allow this to happen. I did, however, thank him for calling (I’m sure he called most of the people who left letters). And even if I did not change his mind and he did not change mine, we did get to state our views to each other.
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God Bless America. How many people dies so we could have this type of conversation? There are far too many places in the world today where I would have been put to the sword for disagreeing with the government.
I stared at the wall for a while after we said our "Good Byes" and ignored my computer now ready to do its chores. Had this really happened? Had someone from the government called? This had happened only once before and that time, it had something to do with back taxes. I had been told that hindsight is always 20/20, and that was never more true. I had had a one on one with an elected official and I blew it. There were so many things more I could have questioned him about. Then, just as I was about to take out my frustrations on the computer now humming annoyingly in my ear, it occurred to me, maybe it’s not too late. I know Mr. Thomson cares. If not about how I feel on the issues, at least about my vote, and I can usually negotiate with someone who cares. But how do I contact him? If I call him or e-mail him, I’m sure it will be intercepted by a secretary and he will never see my request. WAIT A MINUTE. He has a news letter in this paper about once a week and just maybe, he reads it as well. So, I shall attempt to contact Mr. Thomson with his choice of media. Here goes....
An open letter to Mike Thomson:
Dear sir:
I am one of the people you called last week in regards to our visit to your office in the Capitol and since our time to communicate was so limited, I am inviting you to come to Northwest Missouri and spend some time with my neighbors and me. You do not even need to prepare a speech. We have heard about all the prepared text we need for a while, but instead, sit down with us, have some coffee, and get to see the faces of some of the good people who live here. People who were raised here and hope to see their children and grandchildren get to grow up in the same type of clean environment. Leave your tie at home, but bring your handshake. My friends are impressed more by an honest handshake than a two hundred dollar tie. You told me on the phone you’re from this area, so it should be like a homecoming, and I assure you my friends will make you feel welcome. Yes, we still wave when we pass on the road whether we know each other or not. That’s just the way it’s done here. Let my neighbors look in your face and ask you their questions of importance. Some will hope you have an insight into the economy, and how can we continue to pay more and more for fuel, utilities, and food. Last winter, the people in this area were without power for as much as eight days, only to find the statement for that month more than if it had not been off at all. Why? While the power was off, we had the added cost of alternate fuels or going to hotels. Is there not some type of state or federal disaster fund to assist us in times like this? And seniors may ask you why, after paying on a house or farm all their lives, must they now lose it due to taxes? Everyone wants to know about potholes. We keep paying more and more in taxes and the potholes get deeper. Why? Does anyone in Jefferson City care?
Mr. Thomson, please come home. Meet with your neighbors, old and new. Refresh your memory of what a great place Northwest Missouri really is. Surprise me again. You have my phone number.
(Editor’s note -- Mike Thomson came to Sheridan Sunday for the Beef and Noodle dinner and visited with area residents.)
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