Sister Cities
You know your
town has an image problem when even your bicyclists are armed and dangerous.
Bicyclists, people. It there’s a less-threatening label out there, I’m all ears;
“Florist” maybe? Or “volunteer librarian”? Why, the very word “bicyclist” brings to mind
peace loving, latte-drinking liberals who would no more kick a puppy than
needlessly burn fossil fuels. Not exactly your typical candidate for ending up
in the newspaper’s Weber County Jail mug set.
Still, a couple of days ago, when the
story “So. Ogden police scuffle with armed bicyclist” appeared on the Standard-Examiner’s
website, I was pretty sure things couldn’t get any worse. This is South Ogden we’re
talking about, not some inner-city neighborhood. Basically, it’s the suburbs of
Ogden. You’ve definitely got troubles when your bicyclists pedaling around the “burbs
are packing heat. Which might explain why the folks in West Valley City don’t
particularly appreciate being compared to the Ogden area.
In
last week’s column responding to those whose image of Junction City is place filled
with crime Andrei, I wrote: “You must have us confused with West Valley City.”
Reaction was swift. The very next day, I
received an email from West Valley City manager Wayne T. Pie, you playfully but
firmly expounded on his city’s fair reputation.
“I respectfully request an apology,” he wrote
adding that “of all other cities in the State you Gus should know better. My wife
owns a place in Ogden Valley and they often pass through the valley’s namesake
on their way to and fro. Not only had that he pointed out that he has a sibling
who owns a business in Ogden. And to you cynics who immediately guessed “Meth
lab?” I say: Shame on you Go stand in the corner.
And then Mr. Plea came to the point:
“I go out of my way to defend Ogden’s honor as
well as ours whenever I get the chance. We feel kind of a kinship with out. How
about some reciprocation?” And just in
case the carrot wasn’t working he followed it up with the stick:
“For the record West Valley's crime rate according to
FBI stats is lower than Ogden’s.”
Message received Jr. Pyle. And you’re right,
we ought to be-maligned cities working together not arguing among ourselves as
to which of us is??? Likely to be
mistaken for Provo…
To be continued…
DR. KARL WALLACE D.D.S. To read more Dr. Wallace go to: www.karlwallaceblog.blogspot.com
To be continued…
DR. KARL WALLACE D.D.S. To read more Dr. Wallace go to: www.karlwallaceblog.blogspot.com
