To the person who spewed the raspberry into my answering machine at the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin office one day this past week, wow … sorry you are so unhappy! Obviously I, or the newspaper, had something to do with whatever has your panties in a bunch, but your message was so brief, childish, and incomprehensible, it is hard to know precisely what will set your world right once again.

And of course, you didn’t leave your name or telephone number. Thus, I guess we won’t fix this predicament.

Whatever set you on edge will have to just sit there and fester. I can’t listen to your problem, don’t know if you have a legitimate complaint about something I did or did not put in the paper, and haven’t a clue if it is in my power to fix it or apologize for it.

Feel better? Feel like you have made your point? No, I bet not.

And to the man who called and left a message three weeks ago or so — again with no name — saying “…you ought to get your facts straight and quit printing all the local hearsay,” and “… if you REALLY want to know what happened with a case, you ought to call up to Marion and talk to the people up there about it and get the real facts!”

Well, sure enough, Bubba. You know, I looked all through the paper that week trying to find some kind of story that looked weak or unsubstantiated, but I must have missed it. In addition, you should know that our Docket page (the page that reports accidents, criminal activity, legal filings, and such) is the same in all three of our newspapers and most of the information is gotten from the county court house — yes, from those folks up in Marion that I should call for the REAL facts!

Once again, I cannot help you get any resolution to your issue because you are hiding behind an anonymous phone call.

Readers, can you stand one more example? You will love this one.

I picked up my mail at the post office Monday morning and among the usual junk was an anonymous letter, written in a fake quivery hand to camouflage someone’s handwriting. The note in the envelope read, “Now that all the cats have disappeared, we will have snakes, mice, and rats!”

What? From where did that kernel of misinformation spring? When did all the cats disappear? Why is it my job to know or do something about it? Who ARE you people? And why didn’t you lock up your cats?

For about the 500th time, here is the deal. If you want me to address an issue, you MUST sign your name. I am not likely to fight your battle for you, but I don’t mind listening to your argument and I might toss the topic out for the world to review. Who knows, perhaps the world is in your corner. However, I can promise you that anonymous letters, phone calls, and obscene noises or gestures will get you nowhere.

For once, man up, be responsible for your own behavior, and have the presence of your convictions.

— Susan Marshall