A couple of months ago when I had all manner of explanations about the beginning of the annual Memorial Day Dinner I thought it interesting that so many people had an idea about the event and chose to share. I decided that might make for some interesting columns to fill this space. You know, pick a topic, toss it out there and see what kind of information it might generate.

So I tried it.

I want you to know that I have gotten exactly no feedback on the past two or three opinion columns that asked for information or ideas. I thought I was being so open-minded, inviting all six of you to offer suggestions to a couple of topics that might have interesting answers.

I wasn’t too surprised to find that no one wanted to fess up to the issue of blowing up all the left over PHS band fireworks on the railroad tracks behind Jesse and Bettie Seibel’s farm in the 1980s. If I had been involved, I probably wouldn’t have given myself up either. The Married Daughter was strangely silent on the topic, which I thought was a bit odd, but blaming her would probably be too obvious.

I really did think there might be some folks out there who had an opinion about the Veteran’s Roll Call window and what to do with it as it grows. Maybe they are still contemplating the matter or perhaps there is just no solution.

I also made a few comments about the city, county, and school board preparing their budgets at this time of the year. I told you I thought this would be a fine time for those of you who have thoughts about the way your tax dollars are spent to go sit in on some budget meetings and find out just how they do it. I told you not to wait until they are meeting the state’s deadline for publishing the budget to take an interest.

It seems an audience of one or two has been in attendance at some meetings, but the response to my suggestion has been underwhelming at best.

I guess I could blame the heat, perhaps the topics are boring, maybe everyone is too busy with summer activities, or maybe we just don’t care. This time I won’t ask what you think.

— SUSAN MARSHALL