SCENE IN PASSING
MARIE WHITEHEAD
Well, if this doesn't beat a goose a'gobblin.' Been here for the last hour, lost all my copy, trying to "save" the file.

I waxed eloquently for an hour, telling you the flip side of "the perils of Pauline." Saturday had been a great day for me. A new Rusk resident introduced herself at the grocery store and it was a happy few minutes. She outlined her story of love at first sight with our town. Much like Penny Reynolds, last year's president of the Rusk chamber. Much like myself one day in May, 1950 when the Better Half and I rode into town, looking for a home, a business to buy. It is good to hear when others join our enthusiasm for this very special place. Her name is Joyce Taylor and her spouse is Roy. They had lived in Longview and he was looking for a railroading job. When they learned of a new future for the Texas State Railroad, they wasted no time in checking it out. He was hired and put to work immediately. He has high tech machinist skills. They found their dream home on the Mt. Hope Road, complete with a mountain top view. They love it, and they found their church home nearby: Mt. Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Joyce was like a five-yearold under the Christmas tree. She helped me believe more strongly in my dream- -that our town has the greatest potential for growth and economic development just waiting to happen. If you run into our new citizens, welcome them.

Another happening brought extreme joy also. One of our newer business owners, Harl and Melissa Brannon, owners of The Iron Horse Mercantile, were the beneficiaries of a contract with American Heritage Railroads, to provide the food service for the TSR. Now that's an economic blessing, and good for the local economy, too.

It didn't generate any extra money, but it was a million dollar moment in pride and happiness, not to mention history, when the chamber's leadership came by the day the rains began to fall. KTLU-am and KWRWfm received the Business of the Month award, and when the drought returns, we hope to display the big, red-letter banner at the front of our building. We could, conceivably, grant to the chamber credit for the rain. If the chamber could magically "make it rain," we could quickly resolve any financial problems, right?

Recently returned from a sea voyage are about two dozens Ruskites who put a plan together with the help of Sarah Welch. I look with wonder and awe at these water trips. But when invited, I have to admit, I can't swim. One foot needs to stay on the ground.

When you have time, get on board with some e-mails for me. Only one this week. He is a newspaper publisher friend from the 1970s. Larry Jackson, now publisher of The Fayette County Record at LaGrange and president of the Texas Newspaper Foundation wrote, "One of the nicest things about the newspaper exchange that TPA (Texas Press Association) is coordinating, is getting to see the work of old friends. Seeing what you had in "Scene in Passing" made my morning. And reading about your Sock Hop Chamber event was fun, too. I count my brief stay in East Texas as managing editor of the Henderson paper a treasured memory, particularly because Susie and I got to ride the opening train of the Texas State Railroad. (That was 1976). You were there to make it a very special day indeed. Who could ask for a better life than that of a newspaper editor?"

And a good question, that is. Printer's ink is in the blood, according to old timers.

I must mention a few of our community concerns. Neighbor Jim Turner is looking forward to coming home. He's had a tough time lately. He and Joyce have a daughter-in-law, Linda, and a granddaughter, Kahla, both receiving treatments for cancer. And Joyce has an ill, elderly aunt, Flo Ott, who is under the weather. And we hear that Paul Moseley is still in the hospital for treatment of what began as pneumonia.

Here's wisdom, author unknown: "There's an important difference between giving up and letting go." That's heavy. Think about it. herald@mediactr.com