Letter of the Year - 2002
An interesting e-mail exchange with a self-described journalist is this year's best entry:
It starts like this (e-mail address and other identifying items removed to protect the not-so-innocent knucklehead):
From: xxxxx@aol.com
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 18:07:48 EST
Subject: Greetings
To: scumtrap@root-beer.info
My name is Tom S, and I am a freelance journalist from New York
and a
big root beer fan!
I would love to write an article on the resurgence of root beer's
popularity in the U.S. I was hoping that you might be able to tell me where
any articles about root beer have been published in the last three years.
That would spare me a lot of research, and in return I'd be happy to help
extoll the joys of root beer to a wider audience.
In any event, thanks for your help.
Respectfully,
Thom S
231 xxxx Road
xxxxxx, NY xxxxx
xxx-xxx-xxxx
Two things you should know.
1. He wrote to the wrong address (see
site front page). Others do this from time to time, and I never mention it.
I just reply to the e-mail as I'm happy to accomodate root beer fans. However,
this guy just rubbed me the wrong way. Dishonorable people have that effect
on me.
2. The comment about "Roanoke Friends"...well, I did a search on
his e-mail address and found a message he had posted on the Roanoke Friends'
message board looking for information for an article. The Roanoke Friends
"Lifestyle Club" is one of those swinging couples groups. You know,
where when they say "take my wife, please" they really mean it...and
they want your wife in return!
From: "Spike" <spike@root-beer.info>
To: <xxxxx@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Greetings
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 01:37:28 -0500
Thom,
Well, for a journalist I'd think your reading comprehension
skills would
be a little stronger. As the note said on my website, you weren't supposed
to write to the address gained by clicking the link...that's just to trap
spammers.
I am aware of a number of articles discussing root beer in
magazines and
newspapers. However, I'd rather not spare you any research effort. Any
hack can reword others' works. What happened to the time honored tradition
of interviewing? I bet your research into the "Roanoke Friends (Southwest
Virginia's Premier Lifestyle Club)" was more in depth...
Spike
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 08:40:36 EST
From: xxxxx@aol.com
Subject: Re: Greetings
To: <spike@root-beer.info>
Good morning....
Actually, I was hoping that I might enlist the help of the public relations
arm of some of the more well established soft drink companies to provide me
with background material and the names of magazines who have already run articles
on root beer; that way I can save time and effort. After all, this is freelance
writing is a hobby and I haven't a lot of time to expend on it. And plagarizing,
like the hacks that I screen out in my f/t job as editorial director of a
medical journal, would neither be what I enjoy (I enjoy crafting my own words)
nor would it be tolerated by the markets I use. I hope that answers some of
your amazingly rude responses to my letter. What was your reason for trying
to ridicule and demean me so? Were you trying to teach me a lesson the hard
way? Had someone beaten you up in the same way when you were a novice or young
person? I hope that you realize that I came to you with good intentions and
you met me with malice.
Thom S
But wait, there's more, just 4 minutes later!
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 08:44:39 EST
From: xxxxxl@aol.com
Subject: Fwd: RE: Greetings
To: <spike@root-beer.info>
This is what I was hoping for, Spike.
Thom S
Attached was an e-mail he received from a PR Manager pointing him to some generic beverage site.
Only an hour later, Thom S has a change of heart and comes back with an idea for a new article...
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 09:49:24 EST
From: xxxxx@aol.com
Subject: Re: Greetings
To: <spike@root-beer.info>
Incidentally, Spike, concering your remark about my Southeast
Virginia Roanoke Friends etc. research. I learned of "The Hookers' Ball"
while having dinner in a motel on the way to North Carolina with my family.
Our waiter laughed, saying that we were just a day early for it. We talked
of it a bit, and I thought it might make a good piece for Maxim or Penthouse.
But eventually I let it go, after doing a little research. How are you familiar
with it (The Hookers' Ball), and how did you become aware of my research into
that topic? That topic, accessing other people's online research, would in
itself make a good article. Would you be generous enough to give me a lead
on how you do that, so that I might pursue that for an article?
Thanks,
Thom S
My reply, to which I never received a reply:
From: "Spike" <spike@root-beer.info>
To: <xxxxx@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Greetings
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 21:57:43 -0500
Thom,
Thank you for the notes. I enjoyed them immensely. Clearly
you have a
flair for the dramatic - perhaps writing is your calling. Here is what you
wrote previously:
"I was hoping that you might be able to tell me where any
articles about
root beer have been published in the last three years. That would spare me
a lot of research"
Now, I don't think the 60 Minutes news crew does their research
by
watching 20/20. I'm sure the staff reporters of the New York Times don't
sit around reading the New York Post looking for quotes to use. You stated,
in a nutshell, that a) you "would love to write an article" on root
beer, b)
you were looking for recent articles on root beer to c) "spare [you]
a lot
of research".
I was "amazingly rude"? No, I was dead on in my response
to you. Had you
said, "I'm writing an article on the resurgence of root beer. Can you
recommend anyone in the industry I might talk to for the article? Do you
know of any microbrew root beers that have a good story behind them?"
I
would have been more than helpful (in fact, I was a source for 2
journalists, 1 for a magazine and 1 for a newspaper, and was happy to help
them in their endeavors. My site was mentioned in both articles). However,
you came to me with, "show me some recent articles to save me some
research."
Regarding the e-mail you forwarded to me, I'm glad she was
helpful. Of
course, the person who responded to you has the title of "Public Relations
Manager". I don't think she would have been rude to you even if you had
asked her to write the article for you. It's her job to be accommodating.
Spike
There are so many things I could say, but I won't. If you need anything explained to you, just write.