Fielder’s Choice - Barry Burleson


Thursday, January 28, 2010
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Fielder’s Choice
By Barry Burleson

Two better than none

Honesty is still the best policy, and no doubt, it’s prominent in Marshall County.

During the process of getting the newspaper to our subscribers last week, we experienced some mailing-label problems.

For whatever reason, the computer did not print all the proper labels on the first go-round. Carolyn caught it in the back shop while putting the labels on the papers.

Things like this always happen when you’re absent an employee. Barbara was out that Wednesday due to a death in the family.

So inexperienced employees in the computer/printer label-producing process, particularly myself and Linda, hustled to produce a new, and hopefully complete list.

That process hit a snag or two. But thanks to Barbara’s help via the phone, Linda figured those problems out.

I delivered the new set of labels to the back shop, and then I escaped the stress of the morning to attend my weekly Rotary Club meeting.

I got a couple of text messages from the office about a smaller problem while at the meeting.

But they hid another one from the boss until I returned.

Come to find out, the set of labels we thought was right, was not correct after all. The labels had been printed on the wrong side.

But they had gotten that straightened out, with another run from the computer on the opposite side of the labels, by the time I returned from Rotary.

Finally, the newspapers were in the labeling production line.

Mr. Bill had already gone to Byhalia to deliver papers to our vendors.

So upon the completion of the Byhalia, Victoria and Red Banks post office papers by Carolyn, Bonnie, Pam and Sue, I, too, drove to Byhalia for those deliveries – all in plenty of time but a bit later than normal.

By the time I arrived back at the office, they had completed the newspapers that go to the Holly Springs post office, and I delivered those – right on time.

Then we were just hoping there were no mix-ups during a crazy day and everyone would receive their newspapers.

Thursday we got a couple of calls – “I did not get my paper.”

We get those from time to time. It’s good to know that when you don’t get your newspaper, you miss it. It’s our goal to correct the problem as soon as possible.

But most of the calls we received last week were – “I got two papers” – particularly coming from the Potts Camp area.

Our thoughts were “better two newspapers than none,” considering the kind of day we had during the production process.

And our thoughts also went to the honesty of the good people of Marshall County – to even take time to call and let us know they had received two newspapers.

Our county has its problems and its pluses. But the best thing we have going for us are the people – honest, God-fearing, caring, just good folks.

I’m in my ninth year as publisher of your community newspaper, and I’m humbled each week by the importance of our product to all of you.

The South Reporter staff takes pride in the work we do. We work hard – always giving it our best. And we really appreciate your telephone calls – no newspaper or two newspapers.

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