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5 NOV 04: MAIL CALL

After a busy, eventful, historic week, I'm ready for a blogging break. Today I'll let your e-mails drive the discussion - and we have several to consider, starting with a big surprise from a Judge-Elect:

Good afternoon sir,

Don't usually write but got a call that I made your web site again today concerning a "beautiful lady with long brown hair". [2 Nov] It is nice to know I have someone watching the place. If you see anyone breaking in, please call 911. (unless it is a lady with long brown hair then call me so I will be
sure she gets in)

I am not really sure who you are talking about. I did help a lady get her son out of jail the other night, and her husband met us at the jail. People come and go all the time here. My motto: we doze but never close.

People get arrested at all times of the night and my phone rings at all times of the night to get them out. (after January you probably wont see any ladies with long brown hair or long hair of any color coming in to get someone out of jail)

As you know I both practice law and live in this house on first avenue. Sometimes I sit at my law office computer late at night wearing my legal briefs working on cases for the next day. But after almost 25 years at the same location, most people know where I am and walk in all the time or ring the door bell.. A gentleman banged on my door trying to get in last week at 5:00AM. The police came and he was drunk and said he wanted to borrow Bobby Peters phone to call someone to come downtown and pick him up. (he had long brown hair also)

There is a record of that call.

I also invite you to drop in sometime and lets talk in person. We are evidently neighbors and should get to know each other better. Plus I don't want you to strain your eyes trying to see in my law office or for you to run in a ditch while taking your eyes off the road to watch me.

If this mysterious lady is as beautiful as you describe, I can't imagine her coming to see a hard working antique lawyer with high mileage and grey hair, except for legal assistance. I am single and the thought sounds nice but only a dream.

Just thought I would set the record straight.

Hope everyone got out and voted today.

Thank you.

Bobby

Thank YOU, Mr. Peters. Who knows what sort of people will knock on your door once all the Columbus State University art students move downtown?

When someone is as well-known as Bobby Peters, he doesn't need to organize a "neighborhood watch" program. His friends and foes combine to take care of that....

What a shame that "ladies with long hair" won't be at Bobby Peters' door come January, to get people bailed out of jail. But attendance at Superior Court suddenly might increase.

(Hmmmm -- but then the women Judge-Elect Peters IS dating will be easier to spot. Maybe they should kiss good night down the street, at the Urban League office.)

So if you're drunk at 5:00 in the morning and you need a ride, you knock on Bobby Peters's door?! That's what happens when you shake so many hands running for Mayor, or even walking through a restaurant - everyone thinks they know you personalty, even if they don't.

(Wouldn't it be interesting to hear the record of that 5:00 a.m. call? Come to think of it, why isn't there a TV show playing blooper calls to 911?)

Don't worry, Bobby Peters - I'm not straining my eyes checking your First Avenue law office/house/rescue mission. I make sure I only drive by on weekends during the day. I'm less likely to run into another car then.

(What do you think - should I pay Bobby Peters a personal visit? I promise it would be at 5:00 p.m., not 5:00 a.m. - and he'd have to provide the long-haired women, because I don't know any available ones.)

I like Bobby Peters' motto, by the way: "We doze but never close." That could apply to some news web sites - especially the ones which don't spot spelling or grammatical errors for days.

Let's move on now to Wednesday's discussion of the collision on Oates Avenue, Sheriff candidate Robert Taylor and NAACP President Edward "probable cause" DuBose:

I would be able to take Robert Taylor more seriously as a potential candidate if I could actually understand what he was saying. I also disagree with Taylor's decision to make the Kenneth Walker Case his primary issue during the election. I agree, the Walker case is long overdue some sort of justice, but I don't think it is going to be found by running an experienced, trained and dedicated Sheriff out of office just to put someone in there who has never served one day with the Sheriff's office....

Thank you for pointing out the obvious with Ed Dubose's statement, he is doing the same thing he was raising holy terror about the Sheriff's Department doing following the Kenneth Walker case. Ed Dubose has made a habit of spreading his opinion through the community anytime a potential "race issue" comes about, yet he seems to be ignorant of the laws that he is demanding be enforced. I would suggest Mr. Dubose educate himself on the limits of the law before his next press conference. I have to say I was thrilled when I found out that he isn't going to run again for President of the local chapter of the NAACP. I can assure you I won't miss him in the news or at the city council meetings.

Thanks for your daily blog, I do enjoy it immensely.

CTR

You're welcome, Mr./Ms. R. But let's get to the more important issue here - have you seen any women with Bobby Peters recently?

Personally, I can understand why Robert Taylor focused on the Kenneth Walker case in his campaign for Sheriff. I can think of only one other issue he could have mentioned - and we still haven't heard anyone claim they were wrongly arrested at a church on Sunday morning.

But hold on here - what's the problem with Edward DuBose spreading an opinion, while being ignorant of the law? Don't callers to radio talk shows do that all the time -- not to mention some hosts?

CTR may not miss Edward DuBose at Columbus Council meetings - but as DuBose gives up control of the Columbus NAACP, we still might get to see him again. Isn't he big enough to be Mark Taylor's running mate, in a campaign for Governor in 2006?

Our last e-mail is on something completely different. Was someone trying to upstage WTVM's coverage on Election Night?

Richard,

I'm not sure if you caught Gretchen's last cut-in from Democrat HQ , but I happen to know the name of the rude obnoxious person that was disrupting her live shot. He is Dan Masters from the former B101 and current "voice of GCW". I noticed that he was in one of Kristi's earlier live shots at the Republican HQ and was reportedly acting a bit disruptive to her as well. I thought I'd pass on that little tidbit.

We're keeping this writer anonymous -- in case Dan Masters tries to disrupt HIS live events. Say, by knocking on his door at 5:00 a.m. asking to use the phone.

I did NOT see the live report disruptions our e-mailer is talking about. I was simply stunned by how a quiet, calm campaign headquarters suddenly becomes loud and noisy when someone starts talking into a TV microphone.

Assuming our writer is accurate, this is truly strange. Someone actually went to BOTH party headquarters on Election Night? Some people look for free food wherever they can....

So is this what Dan Masters is doing, now that B-101 FM has become "The Beat?" Is he trying to become the host of a Columbus version of "Punk'd"?!

But then again, maybe Dan Masters is trying to get attention for GCW - which stands for Georgia Championship Wrestling. World Wrestling Entertainment had something like a "Smackdown the Vote" promotion this year. Masters may be trying to smack down the reporters.

Georgia Championship Wrestling is trying to start a tradition of weekly cards on Saturday nights. They're held at the "Sports Arena," between Cooper Creek Park and Manchester Expressway. This seems like a good location - because we don't want patrons of the Columbus Symphony going into the wrong building.

(Before you doubt there's a Sports Arena near Cooper Creek Park, keep one thing in mind. The late, great wrestling announcer Gordon Solie called the TBS studio in Atlanta a "television sports arena....")

What does it say when Georgia Championship Wrestling has TV commercials appearing during the 6:00 p.m. news, as it did Thursday night? Did this troupe get grant money from the W.C. Bradley Foundation or something?

But anyway -- I've never met Dan Masters, but I'd give him a warning right here: be careful whose live reports you're trying to interrupt. Blaine Stewart might take you to the nearest top rope, and throw you over it.

COMING NEXT WEEK: A Blog Special Event, as we mark 20 years since we moved to Georgia....

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