Letters to the editor
To the Editor:
I'm writing to thank Officer Travis Wilson of the Peabody police department and the staff and customers of Sharon's Korner Kitchen.
Last month I stopped in Peabody with my mother-in-law and three children for lunch at Sharon's on the way to visit my parents in central Kansas, where I grew up.
I am an American Muslim and my mother-in-law and I dress modestly, in the manner that nuns traditionally have. Our dress attracted the attention of some malcontent, and he decided to pursue and intimidate us. After displaying a few choice hand gestures, he followed us to Sharon's and parked near our car, waiting for us to emerge.
Miraculously, Officer Wilson was having his lunch in the next booth and he agreed to keep an eye on our friend. He was soon joined by his mother and grandmother and the staff of Sharon's, all of whom demonstrated very kindly that the rest of Peabody's citizens were not of the same ilk as the man pursuing us. Their concern and care was extraordinary and just goes to prove that bad apples only serve to highlight the sweetness of the rest.
They sent us off with hugs and Officer Wilson showed his presence and accompanied us back to U.S.-50, which caused the man following us to suddenly remember he had business elsewhere. I can't express what their kindness and his service meant to us that day. And we can't wait to visit Sharon's again next time we go home!
Najiyah Diana Helwani
Kansas City, Mo.
To the Editor:
My mother and stepdad recently have achieved a dream my mom has had for years. They are the proud owners of Kingfisher Steakhouse & Lounge.
In this title, you see two things. A new, fine-dining eating establishment for Marion County that brings people in from surrounding areas and a lounge. Yes, we do serve liquor by the drink. I remind people the law was passed to do so. So we do this freely and all within the law.
My mother has tried her best to make this a place that is welcome to everyone. Welcome for the family and welcome for people to enjoy themselves in the lounge. She created a fine-dining experience for the whole family by dividing off the lounge from the rest of the restaurant for anyone who isn't comfortable with our liquor sales. Smoking is strictly in the lounge, and we provide smoke eaters throughout the whole building.
We have a lot of good support from all of Marion County and the surrounding areas. And that is just music to our family's ears. It makes us so proud to provide a good service.
Although, along with the support comes disapproval. It's completely understandable. Not everyone is going to be happy with the fact that we serve liquor after Marion County has been a dry county for all these years. But, this is a "steakhouse and lounge."
This is more than a business. This is our time, our hard work, and our life. I know there are people who don't like the fact that we are open or agree with what we do. But hear this — this is my mom's dream. Why stomp on it? Why do people just shut us out completely or judge us before they even see or understand what we are about? If it's just so horrible, ignore it. It just seems a little uncalled for to me.
I'm the one who sees my mom work so hard, stay up late, stress over getting things just right to make other people happy. When we signed the papers to buy this place, she was signing her life to the community. Our whole family is proud of what she created and I would like her to know that.
We love you, Tina. You are doing great!
Christa Marie Pretz
Tampa
