One door closes, another opens... The amazing, wide-reaching tentacles of the internet are slowly bringing about the eventual demise of local newsprint. For me, it's a sad time. There is something special about holding the 'news of the world' in your hands and smelling and feeling the ink. I started delivering the Portland Press Herald when I was 10. Memories? I have a few. I remember finishing deliveries and sitting on the couch in the music room on Stevens, trying to make sense of the box scores of baseball games played the night before. While living on Deering Street my daily ritual winter mornings was walking to Joe's Smoke Shop and picking up the Press Herald and the Boston Globe. Why are papers failing all over? Back then, I handed over a dollar and got 60 cents in return- now the Globe alone costs $2.00 here in Maine. As I travel around, I always enjoy picking up a copy of the local 'rag' and taking a gander of the local news of the day. That was always a lot of fun and always got vacations mornings off and rolling!*Today is a special day for me... I plan to do absolutely NOTHING, not even read a paper! Whoops! I've already checked out the news of the day via the PPH, Globe and NYTimes... online!
Is it your birthday, Birdman?
ReplyDeleteNope... last day of vaca! I always celebrate it the same way. Sun, music and just me.
ReplyDeleteGood grief. Does that mean school begins tomorrow in Portland?
ReplyDeleteNot in P-town, but maybe in surrounding areas...Hahahaha!
ReplyDeleteOne cannot get over an "obsession" with the news. I, too, began delivering papers at a very tender ago and I find their demise a sad, sad chapter in the history of the human race. Reading a story on the Internet will never have this pizazz of holding that paper in your hand.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're trying hard to overcome your sadness today by doing nothing (well, not counting your hours on the Internet) and I wish you well!
Thanks for commenting on Ocala DP!
What a beautifully written piece. I can't imagine a world without newspapers... but I don't subscribe to one, either!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately no one under the age of 30 has ever purchased a newspaper, which is why the physical newspaper will eventually go the way of the dinosaur. If you own a newspaper company...sell it yesterday. The Sunday paper was always a pain to deliver due to the weight and we needed a car to deliver them.
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