Newspaper " fame "

As I approached the bus shelter near the fire station on Roger

    Williams Ave. , I noticed a big tin garbage can that had not been there

    before. I instantly attributed it to the thoughtfulness of Senator Bob

    Kells, who lives in the neighborhood.  My family remembers him as a good

    neighbor ( even for a politician ) .

            With eyes on the garbage can, the old bum in me asked : " What's in

    it for me ? "  On the very top of the heap was a whole copy of the Providence

    Journal. I reflected on the etymology of the word EPHEMERAL . The headline

    about Clinton's impeachment would one day be as stale a memory as  " Watergate "

    - whatever FATE or DEMOCRACY OR CONSPIRACY decides .

          But I had just enough time at the bus stop to read a letter of mine

    that appeared that Monday (Dec.14 ) . In the letter I argued rather 

    facetiously that I was entitled to  half of Mo Vaughn's $ 87.5 million

    as " compensation " for abused and exploited ancestors.

            How comical are we humans : with hands in the trash can, we can still

    dream about reaching the stars. For most of us every day is DREAMTIME .

         That letter of mine was titled :" What's in it for me? "