Part III - La Guerre Perpétuelle
I've changed my mind. I've decided to respond to the woman who complained about me in the local paper.
What bothers me most is the following remark she made:
"I see no connection between a 1978 murder and the law-abiding institutions [these schools] are today. "
I've decided to show her exactly what the connection is.
So I draft a letter for publication in the Sherbrooke Record. The first version is libelous. I'm calling people liars left-right-and-centre. So I take out all the stuff about lying and send a second version. But who am I kidding? Even without the rehetoric they won't publish this: I'm basically telling them to close down Bishop's University and Champlain college: the entire English speaking population of the Eastern Townships would be out of a job.
Regrouping I decide to make my case over the phone. I call the editor of the Sherbrooke Record:
Did you get my letter?
Which one John?
(by now I've sent about a half-dozen)
That was the last one, I promise.
John, haven't we covered this ground before ?
This is different. No one's ever answered the question, "what is the connection between the School and your sister's murder?" This student asked the question...
Bla, bla, bla...
I drone on and on. It suddenly strikes me...
why am I doing this? Is this really worth reaching out to 5,000 readers who don't like you? I'm the guy who farted at their crowded cocktail party, they don't want to hear this.
John, I tell you what, let me look at it overnight and I'll give you an answer in the morning.
Alright.
It's not just the letter that bothers me. Partly I've been bolstered by support. A student emailed me the following. It is troubling because this comes from a recent graduate who had no knowledge of problems on campus:
I was shocked when I read about your sister’s tragic death. Though I always knew Bishop’s Campus fauna of rumours and urban myths to be very rich, I never heard any serious stories during my stay at Champlain (from summer 2001 to summer 2003).
Up until I discovered your website through that post on my blog, I thought the story concerning a ghost in McKinnon Hall was pretty much as sinister as Lennoxville’s history would ever get.
It am outraged the student body isn’t more aware of this incident, so much so, in fact, that I am at a loss for words.
Me too.
posted by John Allore @ 1/14/2004 10:27:00 AM
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