Opinion : Two guys, several places and the answer to one question

Two guys once spent a couple of years together, in a big brick building between the courthouse, police station, and post office of a county seat in Iowa.

Then one of the guys left and ended up in a place where the other guy had been before arriving at the place where the two guys were together.

About a year later, the other guy left the big building too. He ended up in a place where his former companion would later be.

A few years later, that guy left that place, and his former companion took his place at that place. Then a while later, the two guys ended up in the same place again, but only for a moment.

One of the guys left that place for a place that neither of them had ever been.

A little while ago, that guy got a call from yet another place -- a place he had never been --, asking him to go to that place. But the place where he is at now is way too good for that guy to even consider leaving for a second.

So those people at that other place called the other guy.

He went.

I will not ask you to fully understand the above story, but I can assure you that it is true, because I am one of those guys.

Someone recently asked one of my friends, "What is going to happen to Vinton Today if Dean gets a job?"

I was surprised at the question, at first. But then it occured to me that sometimes I fail to communicate the basic information about what I am doing or thinking (at least that is what Mrs. Close at times seems to think).

So to answer that question, let me explain:

Vinton Today is my job. We began this web site as an experiment, thinking that people would like it enough that it could bring in enough revenue to allow this to become a full-time job.

And, just a few months after we started discussing Vinton Today, it is my full-time job.

We still have lots of room to grow, and some details of this venture to sort out. But the support we have already received indicates to us that Vinton is ready, and ready now, for Vinton Today.

And again we say thanks to all of you who make it possible. And if you like what we are doing here, tell someone about it. Thank the sponsors whose advertisements you see here. Send us more stories and photos and ideas and suggestions for improvements.

A while ago I gave the Junior Journalists at VS Middle School an assignment. I gave them a business card and told them to give it to someone who does not yet know about our web site.

"I don't think I can do that," said one of the students. "My dad tells everybody we know, even my aunts in Washington."

To that father and everyone else who is telling everyone they know about us: Thanks.

I have said before that Vinton Today does not rely on us, although we are working like crazy to make it work. It relies on the support and input of all of Vinton.

And so far, all of Vinton is making it work.

Thanks, again.