Interim writer, Joe Campbell, Light is Right “I got bumped,” he said, stepping out of his car. Although I looked, I could see no evidence of damage or injury. “Where?” I asked, looking more closely at both vehicle and driver. “At work.” “It’s good it wasn’t serious.” “It was serious enough.” “You have accident insurance.” “This was no accident.” “Someone [...]
By Joe Campbell “Our reality is given,” he said. “Theirs is chosen.” “But surely, Dingwall,” I replied, “you don’t mean that progressives occupy an alternate reality.” “How else could they be impervious to facts and principles that are obvious to us?” I conceded that an alternate reality might account for their being out of touch with the given one. “Still,” I said, [...]
BY JOE CAMPBELL Interim writer, Joe Campbell, Light is Right I don’t know economics. Although introduced to it at university, I don’t know it, let alone understand it. Economics is about scarcity. For several months I studied it. For the rest of my days I lived it. Scarcity means you can’t have everything you want. You have to choose, presumably after [...]
Interim writer, Joe Campbell, Light is Right By Joe Campbell When I was in Grade 10, one of the teachers bent over my desk and whispered, "Joe, you are a conceited, prodigious ass." I forget what outrage of mine prompted his sibilant complaint. I can't forget the complaint. A student spoken to in that manner today would go to his [...]
Interim writer, Joe Campbell, Light is Right By Joe Campbell When she called by, he was watching the news on one of the local channels. “That thin, raspy voice makes me shiver,” she said. “I can turn up the thermostat,” he replied. “I’d rather you turned off the TV. Whenever I hear that woman read the news, I cringe. She [...]
By Joe Campbell My friend Fernsby has new neighbours, a dog and his people. Several months ago, they moved into the house next door to his. The people, a married couple without children, rise early and set off for separate jobs to earn money to support the dog. Some days the dog sleeps in. Other days he lounges around the back yard, [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell Of course I believe in ghosts. I’ve been one. So have most writers who detoured through public relations on the way to more honourable callings. Chances are they’ve ghostwritten letters, speeches, articles, even books, not to mention jokes, apologies, eulogies, and marriage proposals. In public relations, things are not as they seem. For some years, [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell Looking distraught, my friend Bidwell confessed that he misses Mass on Sundays. “Occasionally?” I asked. “Repeatedly,” he replied. “Well, don’t confess it to me,” I said. ”Confess it to your pastor.” “Oh,” Bidwell said, “he and the bishop are well aware that I and many others in the parish miss Sunday Mass.” “I thought you [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell My friend Dingwall has moved into an assisted living residence. When he told me, I said I didn’t think he was ready for assisted living. “I’m not,” he replied. “I chose it to escape assisted dying.” He explained that besides meals, light housekeeping, recreation, entertainment and transportation, the residence he chose provides spiritual enhancement. “If [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell I used to labour under a terrible delusion. I assumed that my weight had stayed the same over the last thirty or so years because of will power. But it’s not the strength of my will that has kept me from getting fat. It’s the size of my tableware. Gut size varies directly with plate [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell I guess my first misstep was trying to play and sing like Louis Armstrong. Hearing him perform was love at first sound and no matter how often I heard him I wanted to hear more. I suspect my second misstep was organizing a Dixieland band and appearing in public. This enabled listeners to record my [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell I’m really impressed when automakers, drug producers and meat packers recall faulty merchandise and repair or replace it free of charge. Cynics say they are just trying to limit their liability. Either that or they’ve discovered that massive recalls with riveting fanfare are good for business. I’d rather believe that these intrepid entrepreneurs are developing [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell I’ve tried to believe in equality. Truly, I have. But try as I may, I no longer can. Early on, I noticed that doctors get paid whether their patients live or die, lawyers whether their clients walk or go to jail, mutual fund managers whether their customers make money or lose it. Now there’s equality, [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell My vision began changing in 2009. Not my mental vision. I can still see what’s wrong with the world. My physical vision. I can no longer see what’s wrong with my wardrobe. Which is a bit of a blessing. What’s not a blessing is that, thanks to macular degeneration, my central vision deteriorated rather abruptly. [...]
Light is Right Joe Campbell When he said he was a convert, several who heard him turned away. Maybe they thought a convert was a cross between a convict and a pervert. “I converted to Catholicism a year ago,” he explained, as they dispersed. A cradle Catholic, I’ve always been interested in conversion stories. I asked about his. “I was [...]