By Al Hooper
The Beacon

You’re so smart – but it doesn’t last

Brash young press types go through a phase in which they know everything.  If asked a question they can’t answer, they’re unfazed.  Who cares?  Can’t be important or they’d know about it. 

Later in life, if they remember to take their reality pills, they modify their outlook.  They appreciate that knowing something about everything is good, but knowing everything about everything is not part of God’s plan, even with Google leading the charge.

All of which occurred to us the other day when a Constant Reader asked about a certain Edmonds news story.  He was sure it had appeared in your everlovin’ Beacon.  We were quite sure it had not.

Turns out we were right.  The story had appeared in the Brand X newspaper.

Constant Reader was embarrassed.  Why?  Because he thought WE might be embarrassed, since we’re widely recognized as Edmonds’ foremost news organism.

Were we embarrassed?  Nope.  Y’r Obed’t Serv’t is no longer brash, young and omnipotent.  He turned in his “I Know Everything” card at the turn of the century.  And don’t ask which century.

Around here we accept that our readers also read other materials.  None as good as the Edmonds Beacon, of course, but what is?

However, there’s a price to pay for such pre-eminence.  When people start talking about you as the Voice Of Edmonds, you’re liable to get calls like this:

“Mr. Editor?  My grandson graduated from 1st grade today!”

Uh … that’s certainly good news, ma’am.

GRANDMA (crankily):  “So where was your photographer?”

Oh, right.  Our photographer … can we go on to the next question?

Equally challenging are calls from folks like the aggrieved motorist who got T-boned on Edmonds Way at Westgate.

“I want you to write an editorial!  I want this clod crucified!  I coulda been snuffed!”

Well, sir, you have our sympathies.  But reckless driving wasn’t invented yesterday.  It’s not really a subject that lends itself to –

“You’re saying life-and-death issues aren’t important?”

Pregnant pause.  What’s the standard duration for pregnant pauses?  Nine months?  Longer for elephants, they say.  Can we split the difference?

A click on the line.  And another disillusioned reader is off to tell his friends that even the local rag is in the pocket of the corporate power brokers.  

As editor of a community newspaper, you know there will be days like this.

But here’s the thing:

Our readers make it all worthwhile.

Our readers care about their town and about their newspaper.  We may fail to note an adored grandson’s academic feats on occasion, or pass on an editorial about the witless louts who put us all at risk on our highways and byways.  But our readers know we’ll bounce back.

Eventually, we’ll figure out what’s important. 

Call it a learning process.  And it never ends.