I have always been fascinated by the story after everyone goes home. As a working news reporter I used to say, "Let's go back and find out what happened to that guy who won the lottery or to the woman who got raped or to the animals who were rescued." In respone to this suggestion a series of male editors invariably frowned, some shook their heads. What a goose, I could see them thinking. But don't you want to know?
Was it arson? Have more people been arrested? Why did those 4 illegal immigrants burn to death? How many fires are nearly contained? Did the rain help? Why is it so smoky today--more than any day so far?
When I go to the supermarket people look fatigued. Some have a kind of wrung out and hung up to dry kinda look. We've stopped congratulating each other. Our throats ache and our lungs burn, the sky is invisible beneath a smoky canopy full of carcinogens. We are in a drought. And the fire is hauled out as proof of global warming, stupid planning, political piggybacking and all manner of stuff. The list of yeahs and neahs accumulates for everyone from Mickey Mouse to the White House Weasel and the Seven Dwarfs at Fema with held their very own Disneyland New Conference. But I am curious. What do you think? Do you care? Do you wanna know? If you do want to know something, what is it? No where else can you record your view, ask your question, find an answer or just say how you feel right now. So do it.