Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: Jan. 28- Feb. 4
Always welcome
To the Editor:
More than 40 years ago, when I was in college, somehow I convinced my parents to allow me to invite a group of my college friends to our Shelter Island house for a weekend. Though we were conscientious, the drinking age at the time was 18 and we took advantage of it.
One night we ran out of beer after Bohack’s had closed. What were we to do?? With no beer, the natives were guaranteed to get restless.
Desperate, my friend John and I drove over to the Harbor Inn.
I was 20 or so years old and had never been inside, knowing that its clientele was older and not “summer” people like I was. Furthermore, John and I were, in the style of the late 1970s, rather scruffy and long-haired. Frankly I was nervous that we would be greeted with suspicious stares.
Nervously, we approached the bar and asked the bartender (Jack Cahill? Charlie Beckwith?) if we could buy a couple of cases of beer.
“Why, sure!” the bartender responded with a big and welcoming smile. It was just then that I noticed that the establishment’s customers could not have cared less when we entered the joint or what we were up to.
We grabbed four cases — probably Pabst Blue Ribbon — paid up and were effusive in our “thank-yous.” The bartender, in return, was genuine and effusive in his “you’re-welcomes.” We drove back to the house and were greeted by my friends as conquering heroes.
I still think, when recollecting that minor episode of my gloriously misspent youth, “Well, that’s Shelter Island for you.”
Scott A. Robbins, Shelter Island
Give me a break
To the Editor;
Some magic words are out there. One of them in the First Amendment is “peaceably.” Another out there is “unity.” Seems the new president does not have a clue what they mean. Now that 47 executive orders have been signed it doesn’t seem like any of them were given any thought before the ink hit the paper. Seems all of them did not cause any kind of peace, and certainly unity was out the door. Did anyone discuss the ramifications of each and every one of these orders?
Last week there were two very interesting letters to the editor, one from a former supervisor and one from someone who would like to see the Republican Party re-group or at least have a strong Conservative Party. One is very concerned about the well-being of Shelter Island residents. Actually the other is as well.
Our comfy little Shelter Island Reporter seems to have turned into a political fish wrapper. Not good. Everyone is stressed out and my lifeline to the outside world here on beautiful Shelter Island is the Facebook page, Shelter Island Local. It’s beyond interesting, with lots of unhappy people and they should not be. Unity — if that’s what you voted for, where is it?
And the attack of Congressman Lee Zeldin? Taking care of the 1st Congressional District for all of the Eastern End, it seems he’s been doing a great job. It’s going to be a tough job to get rid of him. He stood by his president and for this he must be removed from office? Give me a break.
In my 85 years, I’ve witnessed a lot of political business. I should say for 65 years, since I really never paid too much attention until I got married and had a bunch of kids. There’s lots of politics everywhere, I’ve learned.
Where are we headed? I hope someone is paying attention, for it does not appear the newly elected are.
God Bless America. Please.
Georgiana Ketcham, Shelter Island
