Greeson: Wild elected officials and the 14-item guy in the 10-item lane

Amanda Casey Anderson
Amanda Casey Anderson
Audio recording of Anthony Anderson's 911 call
WARNING: Explicit language

I wanted to make sure you saw the story of Grundy County school board member Casey Anderson, who was arrested this week on charges of resisting arrest, public intoxication, indecent exposure, making false reports or statements, disorderly conduct and coercion of a witness.

Friends, that's a full day.

She says "there are so many lies" in those allegations.

Well, according to the great efforts of TFP reporter Ben Benton, we know this was in the police report as officers responded to the complaints about Anderson.

"When we pulled in the driveway, I noticed the female subject was urinating in view of the state highway and public," responding officer Josh King wrote in his report. "When asked what she was doing she yelled, 'I'm peeing!'"

Maybe she was drawing a lie in the sand?

Glass half full

Speaking of leaders meeting the working end of the judicial system, did you see TFP reporter Tyler Jett's story on the Varnell, Ga., councilman who resigned after he was arrested for threatening the town's police chief?

Man, you can't make this stuff up.

According to the police report, Sheldon Ray Fowler made threats, had some cocktails - although that order may be reversed - and went to Facebook and then started removing clothes.

Varnell Police Chief Lyle Grant, who wisely is removing himself from the investigation, reportedly found Fowler in his underpants and a nurse smock. Read that again.

Fowler also was ranting about rumors and then it got very small-town Saturday night on everyone, well, except the 911 call was made right around noon.

It also was in the report that Fowler was "drunk and half-naked."

Which, of course, begs the question, which is better at noon on a random day - to be drunk and half-naked or half-drunk and fully naked?

Yes, we see you

There are so many things wrong with our society it's tough to pinpoint any single thing.

Political divides. Policy headaches. Modern debates in which volume outweighs facts. Pick one, or offer any number of other macro- issues that plague us.

Still, I believe the ultimate umbrella root of our decay is decency and the lack of it.

We are no longer decent or kind or courteous to each other.

Decency is the macro; the micro is the guy at Walmart who takes 14 items into the 10-items-or-less aisle.

Sir, you know dang well you have more than 10.

Sir, you know you counted the items, because we all know we counted the items.

You know you have 14. We know you have 14.

Yet, you believe your time is more valuable than ours. Or the rules do not apply to you. Or that simply, "Hey, my situation is way more important."

Worse yet, you refuse to look at anyone other than cashier - who also knows you have 14 items - because, well, because you know.

And yet, you do it anyway.

And don't try the "Well, I have six cans of soup, and that's all one item."

No. Six cans of Coke packaged together is one item; six cans of Campbell's is six items. Like six manila folders are six items.

Are we clear?

Good, because you, Mr. 14-items-in-the-10-item-lane, are a big part of what's wrong with America.

What's right?

That's a fair question, especially these days.

But I'll give you two examples.

First, our family spent a fair amount of time this spring and summer at ballparks around the area. (Thanks to all of you who spoke and said hello. The feedback - good or bad - is always appreciated.)

And there are few things better in life than the look on a kid's face when ball meets bat in the right spot. That look should drive all of us to want that feeling, demand that feeling and share that feeling.

The other one was the recent story from a father on Twitter about his son Ollie celebrating his ninth birthday.

Ollie, like far too many kids, faces the pain of bullying, and his father reached out to try to make his son's birthday a little extra special.

"Strange request. Anyone know anyone famous/well known who could send Ollie a positive/9th birthday message? The bully keeps saying to him "that everything O has, he has bigger/better/more often. O excited for his birthday but keeps being told it won't be as good as his own."

The reaction started small. Monica Lewinsky. Dionne Warwick. The dude who draws Bart Simpson.

And then Oscar winner and bona fide A-list star Russell Crowe sent a shout-out.

Happy birthday, Ollie.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and 423-757-6343.

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