When I read in The Chronicle about the background of the now former manager of Twin Transit, I was both surprised and not surprised. I was not surprised that there was something of a scammer in his makeup, based on the information that this newspaper had gathered about the attempt to increase the scope of Twin Transit far beyond its ability to fulfill.
On the other hand, I was surprised at the scope of previous attempts by Mr. Wojcik-Damers to escape from the responsibility of his debts, in various situations, in various states. I was surprised, as well, at the depth of The Chronicle’s investigation of this man. It feels good to be associated — even in my own small way — with an organization that will go to such depths to protect the community it serves.
I attended a Transit Advisory Board meeting last month in the Chehalis Council Chamber and it was the first time I’d seen Mr. Wojcik-Damers. My first gut reaction, after hearing him speak, was “this man is a bully.” Only a few days later that impression was verified by charges from the majority of transit employees. A closed meeting was then held by the Advisory Board and shortly after it was over, I asked, “Did you fire him?” only to understand that the whole thing was still being treated as a “disgruntled employees” thing.
It’s a reminder to me to keep my own actions clean and above reproach but, I think, the statute of limitations has long expired since I tipped over a garbage can one Halloween, 75 years ago. Which brings up some questions — whatever happened to the custom of soaping windows, or pulling a string saturated with resin, through a small hole in a tin can while holding that can against a window? Oh, what a loud growl that would produce! The vibration it created also broke a few windows.
OK, we all have our stories to tell about the snowstorm. Mine is simple. When I went outside to measure the 6 inches of snow in my driveway Saturday morning, I couldn’t help but remember a phone call from my daughter, Lisa, the day before. She told me that she and her husband had taken a motorcycle ride the day before, and that it was 84 degrees and her daffodils were in full bloom. I hereby take back everything I said last month about an earlier than normal spring we seemed to be having.
The bird feeders around my small lot have sure been busy. I feel sorry for the hummingbirds, though. Their feeders seem to ice up as fast as I can thaw them.
Permit me to turn to items of a positive nature. A picture last Saturday in the Chronicle’s “A Look Back in Time” feature had me feeling like a Lewis County native in spite of the fact that I was already 32 when a job at KELA brought me here. The Sayler family was pictured standing by that old building with the arch you had to pass through when you wanted to visit Alexander Park back in “the old days.” The photo was dated 1953 and Sandy Sayler was standing on the left side in the picture and couldn’t have been much more than 6 years old. Nothing made me feel more like a native remembering that an older Sandy used to babysit our two children when Frances and I wanted to spend a little away time.
One more comment: an earlier item in this newspaper noted — in a headline — Talking Pictures Arrive at the Issaquah Theater on Feb. 5, 1930. Hey, wait a minute! Does that imply I’m two years older than talking pictures?
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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.
