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Tim Meneely
2026-04-16 09:05:34 -04:00
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The Folk.scriv/Files/Data/052230BA-7D09-4CF8-9D03-8475FF61A4CD/content.rtf
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\pard\plain \tx0\tx360\tx720\tx1080\tx1440\tx1800\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\fi360\ltrch\loch {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Jake initiated the transfer of Nancy\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92s money, and was sitting in his office looking out the window when Mrs. Miller rapped on his open door.}}
\pard\plain \tx0\tx360\tx720\tx1080\tx1440\tx1800\tx2160\tx2880\tx3600\tx4320\fi360\ltrch\loch {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Jake initiated the transfer of Nancy\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92s money, and was sitting in his office looking out the window at his doomed tennis court when Mrs. Miller rapped on his open door. \u8220\'93Jake,\u8221\'94 she said. \u8220\'93My friend Debi Whitehead is visiting. You should hear what she has to say.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi was the office manager for Sam Eugene, the local member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She job-shared with her sister Donna. They\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92d been in the position for a long time and were well trusted by Sam and Punxsutawney. It was, in general, worth hearing what she had to say.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Jake stood and tried to look gracious while the two women settled into the visitor chairs the Mrs. Miller, who seemed to regard him as a local nobleman, insisted were befitting his position. Mrs. Miller briefly caught him up on Debi\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92s husband and grandchildren, avoiding the faux pas he surely would have committed if he\u8217\'92d tried, and then said, \u8220\'93Our new neighbor has been visiting Sam\u8217\'92s office.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi nodded and took up the narrative. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93That Hilda Kessler, prefers to be called \u8216\'91Doctor.\u8217\'92 She\u8217\'92s a visiting professor at IUP.\u8221\'94 Indiana University of Pennsylvania was thirty miles away, but had a branch campus in Punxsy. \u8220\'93Her field is analytical sociology, which she says is using math to look at what people do.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Mrs. Miller said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Dr. Kessler and her little sister Laurel are renting Edna McCall\u8217\'92s house.\u8221\'94 She gestured across the street. \u8220\'93I took them cookies when they moved in a few weeks ago. They seemed surprised. Laurel didn\u8217\'92t say a word the whole time I was there. She\u8217\'92s a tiny thing, probably less than a hundred pounds, and much younger than her sister. Maybe eighteen. Hilda\u8217\'92s forty or more, and\u8230\'85 well, I wouldn\u8217\'92t call her petite.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi made a tiny snort. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93}{\f1\fs24\b0\i1 Doctor}{\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Kessler wanted an appointment with Sam, and of course I asked the topic. She went all around the barn, didn\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92t understand why she should have to deal with a mere }{\f1\fs24\b0\i1 secretary}{\f0\fs24\b0\i0 like me. Finally she said she\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92s been looking at Jefferson County finances going back several decades, and has noticed what she called anomalies over the last twenty years. More people are paying that occupational privilege tax than are on the tax roles, she says. We\u8217\'92re taking in too much money, she says.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Mrs. Miller said. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Not decades, though. Eighteen years. Since he\u8217\'92s been\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 she glanced at Jake \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93making sure they did their part for the government.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi nodded. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93I don\u8217\'92t know, or need to know, everything, but Sam has told me you\u8217\'92re trying to make sure the Amish people up there\u8221\'94 \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 she nodded toward the woods behind his house \hich\f0 \emdash \loch\f0 \u8220\'93do their part. Sam thinks it\u8217\'92s great that they pay voluntarily.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Jake was sitting up straighter. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93What did you tell the professor?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi\loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8217\'92s eyes went wide. \u8220\'93Well, nothing, of course. How is it her business?\u8221\'94 The administrator shook her head. \u8220\'93She didn\u8217\'92t like that, I can tell you. Seemed to think everybody should roll over and worship her PhD. I told her it was nothing to do with the Pennsylvania House, and therefore there was no reason for her to meet with Representative Eugene.\u8221\'94 She paused, biting her lip. \u8220\'93I didn\u8217\'92t realize she was renting a house in the area. That could make her into one of Sam\u8217\'92s constituents, and he prioritizes making his constituents happy, regardless of whether it\u8217\'92s his scope. It\u8217\'92s why I have a bunch of boys on retainer to shovel old ladies\u8217\'92 walks and mow old ladies\u8217\'92s grass.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Mrs. Miller said, \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Surely Sam wouldn\u8217\'92t\u8230\'85 well, blab?\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Oh, he\u8217\'92s careful enough,\u8221\'94 Debi said. \u8220\'93I just like to keep him out of awkward situations when I can. I told the professor she might be better off talking to the county commissioners or the state auditor general\u8217\'92s office. After she left I called all of them and found out she\u8217\'92d already been all those places and nobody was inclined to help her. Anyway,\u8221\'94 she heaved herself to her feet, \u8220\'93I thought you should know.\u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Yes, thanks,\u8221\'94 Jake said, also standing.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 Debi turned to her friend. \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93Thanks for the pie, Grace. Best in the county, at least now that my mother in law is gone. Nice to catch up with you, Jake. I don\u8217\'92t see you out and about very much. \u8221\'94}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 \loch\af0\hich\af0\dbch\af0\uc1\u8220\'93I\u8217\'92m a homebody, Debi. I make it to church, usually. Anyway, thanks again,\u8221\'94 he said.}
\par\plain {\f0\fs24\b0\i0 After she left he turned, again giving his attention to the tennis court.}}