Mailbag

An unopened letter falls out of one of the books.  I’m unpacking books from boxes onto my office shelves and, suddenly, it’s April 21, 1984.  Charles H. Russell wants his money.  Not his money, really, but the student loan money he is demanding on behalf of the bank.  Mr. Russell is (was) the Deputy For Collections and Billing Services.  The “H.” is amusing.  Do letters from people with middle initials get a better response?

Who knows. 

I do hope my untimely opening of the letter didn’t keep Chuck from getting that promotion to Department Director of Collections and Billing Services.  I also hope Mr. Russell adopted innumerable kittens from the shelter to offset his day job’s karma. 

You can count my life goals on one hand.  One of them is the kids graduate from college debt-free.  No threatening letters from the likes of Charles H. 

On a happier note, another blast from the past floats down to the floor.  It’s a sketch of then John O’Donnell Stadium (now Modern Woodmen Park).  Colin must have drawn it (here) over a decade ago.  There’s a baseball diamond, the river and four related features that read almost like a Dave Heller primer.  Playground.  Ice-cream.  Candy.  Skate Park. 

Would that Charles H. Russell have his priorities as straight as a kindergartner.        

Inside joke - check Colin's drawing - there's no outfield (a premonition of his baseball life to come)