Imagine my excitement when I was contacted a few months back by a former Forks High grad that wanted to do a travel story about Forks. She asked me a few questions about if Forks had ever had any women’s lib-type rallies and a few other questions about the rebuilding of the Rainforest Art Center.

Then when her article came out, I wondered what she was getting at?

I was confused, but that is not unusual for me.

So for my own selfish purposes I wish to address some of the observations made in the article.

She said she came from a place where people poach elk. I would like to go on record as saying I have never poached an elk.

She said our choices for women are a bar stool or a pew, since we only have one bar there are not enough seats for all of us women, so I guess in this case the churches win because we have a lot more of them. Unless, you want to stand up in the bar.

She said she didn’t like kissing boys with Copenhagen in their mouth. Well, she might be happy to know that Skoal actually makes a number of fruit-flavored chews which smell, well, better than regular old snoose and I think there also are minty flavors just like mouthwash.

She said that the Forks Coffee Shop, where she once worked, seemed to still have the same coffee pot from 35 years ago. So, I contacted Lori who has worked at the Coffee Shop for some time now and asked “How old is your coffee pot?” (she thought I was crazy, then I explained) Lori said in fact it is a brand spanking new coffee pot!

She was sad that Forks had no LGBT type gender inclusive bars or clubs. Since we actually only have one bar (as I mentioned before) I called Donna at Blakeslee’s Bar and Grill and asked her if a LGBT-type person were to come in to her establishment, would he or she be welcome? She said, “Of course they would.” As a matter of fact she said they had just entertained such a wedding party and everyone had a great time.

So, there you have it, in Forks everyone is welcome at our one bar, no labeling, no singling out. Isn’t that better than segregating people in to special bars and clubs?

She said that the RAC lot was just vacant now burned down in a suspicious fire. Well, by golly there is a great big new building there now under construction and the fire was deemed electrical in nature, I saw the report.

As for Forks women not being liberated, I think of Mina Smith, homesteading on the Dicky River, her husband left her one day alone in the wilderness to raise her children, singlehandedly, no welfare check, and she did it. I don’t know how much more liberated you can get then that.

So, as far as the travel article goes, it was beautifully written.