"I need to know what you think, Sarah, because you're a business woman." "Well ... OK, Delbert," she said. "What's up?" "Fall colors," said Delbert McLain, our chamber of commerce here in the valley. He's our chamber of commerce because no one else wanted it, and because it's an unpaid position. Stopping her stocking of the shelves in the "Love and Other Fiction" section of her "Read Me Now" bookstore, Sarah said, "The truth is, Delbert, I like fall colors." "No, no ... not what I mean. I mean, can we convince people to come here and look at trees this time of year? It would do great things for the motels and our cafés ... to say nothing of the bookstore." "Oh yes," she smiled, "that should start a run on the bookstore." "We could print brochures. Fall colors. Maybe something enticing people to stay in a local motel and have Thanksgiving dinner at Chin's Chinese restaurant or the Mule Barn?" "Thanksgiving is usually a time for families to get together, you know." "I know it," he said, smacking his fist into his hand in frustration. "We need to change the initial concept of Thanksgiving. Like 'This year, celebrate NOT having relatives over. Come see us for colorful leaves and turkey down at the truck stop.'" Sarah thought about it a minute. "Do we really have to turn every holiday into a money maker for the town?" He looked shocked. "It's ... it's progress, Sarah." Sarah looked out at the clear sunlight making jacketed people's faces sparkle on the streets. Each one was a friend. Each one had problems and triumphs and also had within them blessings for the whole community. "Delbert," she said, finally. "Maybe it would be best to let Thanksgiving alone and concentrate on another holiday where we don't have so much emotion tied up in it." "Halloween?" "How about Grover Cleveland's wedding anniversary?" Brought to you by "Ol' Slim's Views from the Porch," available at www. unmpress.com and wherever cow-pen wisdom is heralded.. | 
