for May 26, 2004 Dear Annie,
You printed a letter last year or so from some people in Gig Harbor who were disgusted to find garbage on the remote trail they hiked on up here. I felt the same way this year, opening weekend of fishing season. At Mineral Lake, I saw boaters letting their pop cans fill with lake water so that when they dropped them, they'd sink, and no one would know they littered. On my way out of town Saturday night, someone had dropped a whole bag of garbage beside the railroad tracks on the way out of Mineral toward Morton. My boys and I picked it up, diapers and all. What's the world coming to, when people can't enjoy the scenery without trying to spoil it all?
Never Littered, Randle, WA
Dear Never,
You'll recall we decided last time it was a combination of shiftless attitude and laziness that let those people throw their garbage around with no conscience whatsoever. My Mom told me that when we were kids, living on the banks of the Deschutes River over by Yelm, our neighbor had a family just show up and use their property without even asking. They had a picnic lunch, left their garbage and went back to town. When the neighbor picked up the garbage, she found some mail with the trespassers' address on it, so she went to their house and had a lunch on their lawn, leaving her garbage behind. Makes you tempted, doesn't it, not that you know who dumped the trash next to the tracks. Most of us agree with the philosophy of the Shopper staff there in Packwood: Love nature and appreciate the opportunity to be in the great outdoors, but never, ever leave it obvious you were there, especially harmful evidence like garbage.
Annie
Please write to: Annie, P.O. Box 1084, Eatonville,WA 98328
E-mail: letters_annie@hotmail.com
Past Ask Annies:
May 5, 2004 Strife While Building a House
Apr. 28, 2004 Blessings in a Physically Challenged Child Hunting Easter Eggs
Apr. 21, 2004 Pushy people who keep telling us, "You should..."
Apr. 14, 2004 Abusive Dad, Discourteous Telephoning
Apr. 7, 2004 Guilty About Inadequately Reciprocating to Wonderful Giving Friend
Mar. 31, 2004 Kids Selling Cookies
Mar. 24, 2004 Big Girl Wants to Avoid Brother's Fancy Wedding
Mar. 17, 2004 New Manager Getting Gifts from Subordinate?
Mar. 10, 2004 Loaned Money to Roommate
Mar. 3, 2004 Complaining about Boring Older Peoples' Talk
Feb. 25, 2004 Give Kid's Items to Food Bank
Jan. 28, 2004 Bad Phone Manners
Jan. 21, 2004 Avoid Church Because of Flu?
Jan. 14, 2004 Boyfriend Breakup But Gift, Also Relative Tells Private Life
Dec. 24, 2003 Memories of Good Parents
Dec. 17, 2003 Christmas Gift for Wife?
Dec. 10, 2003 Thanks to Food Bank Helpers
Dec. 3, 2003 Child's Names on Belongings & Appreciating Family at Holidays
Nov. 26, 2003 Big Family Thanksgiving with Paper Plates
Nov. 12, 2003 Husband Driven Nuts To Do Crafts By Wife
Nov. 5, 2003 Dreading Husband's Retirement
Oct. 29, 2003 Move back home from boyfriend's house?
Oct. 22, 2003 Did I raise my daughter to do these things?
Oct. 15, 2003 Misunderstanding about School Workers' Kindness
Oct. 8, 2003 Prayer for Brown Sisters Killed and Change Schoolyear to Oct.1 to June 30
Oct. 1, 2003 Response About Non-tipping Lotto Winner
Sept. 24, 2003 Church-goers Inattentive
Sept. 17, 2003 Friend Sells My Stuff on Ebay
Sept. 10, 2003 Lottery Winner Didn't Tip Clerk
Sept. 3, 2003 Business Insults to Consumers
Aug. 27, 2003 Divison of Wedding Expense
Aug. 20, 2003 School Workers' Kindness & Men's Attractiveness
Aug. 13, 2003 Attractiveness Hints
Aug. 6, 2003 Annie's Husband's Accident at Work
July 30, 2003 Deer Automatic Sprinkler Best & Stores Don't Stock Washington Clothes
July 23, 2003 Scarecrows and Halloween Decorations Scare Off Prowlers Too
July 16, 2003 Redhead Asks Attractiveness Advice
July 2, 2002 Atomatic Deer Scarecrow Blasts Prowler