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18 AUG 04: THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Ruth Ann's restaurant was the last place where I planned to eat breakfast Tuesday. Most mornings, I eat breakfast at home -- a bowl of corn flakes, two slices of toast, orange juice and milk. No coffee for me, thank you. Orange juice that's sat awhile wakes me up easily.
But there I was downtown at Ruth Ann's, because of a challenge I received via e-mail from a blog reader:
Hi Richard,
Which bank in Columbus, GA was responsible for losing all the money in the dump?
Although the newspapers aren't reporting it, it must be all over town by now. Call the local diner…… "Madge" probably knows by now.
Since this is your back yard, it shouldn't be hard to find out.
Thanks,
Lisa McNear
A Radok Company
What Lisa doesn't realize is that here in Columbus, people are very good at keeping secrets. You may recall we didn't know for sure who shot Kenneth Walker for several weeks.
Since Lisa wanted an answer, I changed my morning routine Tuesday to find out. Ruth Ann's is one of the best-known breakfast spots in Columbus, and a few short blocks from several big-name banks. But then again, wouldn't a big-bucks banker be at a top-dollar coffee stand instead?
In reality, I was more likely to find an answer to the "dumpster dollars" question two blocks down 10th Street from Ruth Ann's. The Government Center hosted the "One Columbus Community Prayer Breakfast" Tuesday. Of course, it doesn't look good to go around asking about "money blessings" at a prayer breakfast....
(The One Columbus prayer breakfast focused on education and our children - which is ironic, since you usually can't pray aloud for your children INSIDE buildings of public education.)
But anyway: it turns out I didn't have to go to a diner to learn which bank left $46,000 in a landfill. WRCG's Robbie Watson revealed the answer at 7:03 a.m. -- First Union Bank, which now has become part of Wachovia. Oh well, $46,000 doesn't even amount to one bank executive's golden parachute.
So armed with this knowledge, should I eat breakfast at Ruth Ann's anyway? Since Lisa suggested it, I decided to be a blogger of my word and go. After all, a Phenix City mayoral candidate might walk inside to do some last-minute campaigning.
Ruth Ann's was rather busy Tuesday morning, although not packed. But I had my doubts about whether Lisa would consider this place worthy -- since at one point, three different customers had cell phones at their ears making calls. In 2004, does that really make it a "diner?"
I ordered french toast for breakfast - and began my test of Lisa's theory. "I can't afford a lot," I told the attendant. "They didn't give me that money from the landfill."
"I hear you!" she replied. Then she went on her way, too busy to talk more. I'm not always the best at "buttering up" attendants such as this one -- especially since margarine always was on the table.
The attendant turned out to be too rushed to answer questions about banks and dumpsters - so I listened around the restaurant to other conversations. No one seemed to be talking about the "landfill loot." In fact, they didn't say much at all
- and I wound up singing along with Sunny 100 on the restaurant radio.
There's a TV monitor in a corner of the main room at Ruth Ann's -- but it was NOT on Tuesday morning. Are THAT many people waiting for NBC's prime-time Olympics coverage, to learn the results?
My last chance to test Lisa's theory came at the cash register, where a different woman handled my money. "I would have spent more," I said teasingly again, "but they didn't give me that money from the landfill."
"Oh. They found money there?" I don't know if her name was "Madge," but it could have been Alicia - as in Silverstone, as in "Clueless."
Sorry, Lisa - your theory about a local diner knowing which bank dumped $46,000 didn't quite work here. And to make matters worse, the french toast was a bit on the dry side....
But to be honest, I heard a hunch last Friday that Wachovia Bank had something to do with all that money at the landfill. But from my experience, I've learned better than to trust my hunches. They haven't led to any marriages yet, at least.
Now let's leave a tip, step outside and find other interesting items from Tuesday:
+ Phenix City Councilman John Storey denied that ethics complaint filed in Montgomery. It claims he sold $2,000 worth of signs to the city after taking office in 2001. Storey says the deal was signed BEFORE he took office - which may prove
even local politicians can stage pre-emptive strikes.
+ Speaking of strikes: Alabama Power revealed it has NOT sent work crews to the devastation of Hurricane Charley because an electrical workers' union contract expired Sunday night. So? Send crews down to Florida, anyway - and see if they're selfish enough to set up picket lines around damaged homes and grieving residents.
+ Columbus police warned of a fund-raising scam, tied to Hurricane Charley. Someone's apparently going door-to-door, claiming to be collecting relief money on behalf of Cascade Hills Baptist Church. If the solicitor is wearing a tie, he's
obviously not from Cascade Hills....
+ Phil Roberto resigned as General Manager of the Columbus Cottonmouths. Jerome Bouchard will become both Coach and General Manager -- so he can make enough money to replace the teeth he lost in fights.
+ Auburn University swimmer Kirsty Coventry won a second medal at the Athens Olympics. She's from the capital of Zimbabwe - where her friends and relatives probably cheered, "Hip hip Harare!"
+ Instant Message to the man I saw wearing a Muscogee County School District badge, buying a package of grapes and a bottle of Wild Irish Rose wine at a grocery store: What sort of scientific experiments are you teaching?
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© 2003-04 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.