Life on the Z List not all it’s cracked up to be!

I am Mark Taylor. I write a column for the Courier called Still Rollin’ on the River. I had a lady call me last night after reading the Courier cover to cover and in the process; editor Chuck Brown’s and my column. After I hung up, I wasn’t sure what she was coming at, maybe somebody can tell me.

She reads the Courier religiously cover to cover every week and thought that the columns are the biggest pieces of foolishness going. She couldn’t fathom where I get all my ideas and said my head must hurt a lot. Any former editors wouldn’t publish such nonsense and I gather she thinks Chuck is a little out there for publishing it. Well, I got into this through Chuck years ago, and did continue with the same foolishness after he took a hiatus. Granted, the new regime didn’t share the same passion for my work that Chuck did and there were some philosophical differences.

I think that when somebody can pull out a story you wrote weeks ago and quote it to you; I’m not sure what that means. Most people probably have used it to start the fire or it is in the bottom of their birdcage. She told me about how I said George W. Bush was on coke. I corrected her and told her that wasn’t what I said. I said, “The Globe newspaper said George Bush was on coke.” She told me she wasn’t all that smart and didn’t read the Globe.

She thought I was a smart man though, seeing how I was a paramedic and all. No, that’s Mark MELANSON, not me but I’ll take the compliment nonetheless. I still don’t know if she hates my work or loves it. Maybe it’s like slamming down straight booze. You don’t like it, but it puts you in an altered state that makes you feel better for a little while.

In any case, I never realized that being a Z list celebrity was such a big deal that somebody would take the time out of the busy late night to call you and tell you what they think of you. God bless Charlotte County!