YES - THE CONTRIBUTOR

Les bemoans the loss of Mr Grumpy and then analyses the impact of his own writings!

I read with disappointment Mr. Grumpy's decision to lay down his pen but it also made me think of people like myself who are regular contributors. I am very often aware that for every 100 readers there may well be only 2 or 3 who look forward to my monthly ramblings. This leaves some 97 or so who may well question my sanity but then of course that is what us Academics, what did you say Academics? Well ok then, those of us who have nothing better to do, that is the price we have to pay.

Now by accepting this philosophy it means you don't allow yourself to have your head in the clouds or to suffer bouts of depressive mania but you are in effect living in the real world.

Having written this I now have to question my judgement. After all, how do I know that only 3% of all village pump readers enjoy what I write? These observations come about because modesty compels me to assume this; for all I know the reverse could be the case. Some 97% of readers may well look forward to my monthly ramblings but it would be arrogant nonsense on my part to assume this was the case.

Lets us try to look at a subject that our Editor may well have to address. Lets assume he receives 10 letters of complaint over some issue; what should his course of action be? After all 10 letters may well only represent the views of a very small percentage of total readers. In other words for all our Editor knows the views expressed in these letters may not be shared by the vast majority of his readers, as a result he may well print those letters but he will not be in a position to act on them, therefore the letters are superfluous.

If we return to Mr. Grumpy. whilst I am the first to concede he had every right to hide behind a pseudonym if he so wanted I feel confident most readers would have preferred him to have written under his own name. But again, how do I know that. It is mere supposition on my part. Mr. Grumpy concludes his last contribution by saying that he hopes that he may have inspired some people to have done this or have done that as a result of his past efforts.

I am at a loss to understand his line of thinking as I have been sending in my monthly ramblings, as I prefer to call them, for many a long year now and I doubt whether I have ever inspired anyone to do anything unless it was to turn to the next page with out further delay. That will always be my position because modesty forbids me to think otherwise.

At the end of the day I think I prefer the world of yesteryear when as a young man I approached the delectable Miss Jones with a very ungentle manly thought in mind. The dear Lady took one look at me and uttered those immortal words, "Get Lost"

I sometimes wonder if my confidence has ever recovered, but at the age of 78 time may still be on my side.

Methwold

Les Lawrence