Spaghetti For Breakfast

I have debated with myself for quite awhile as to whether or not I really want to pose this question: Is anybody out there?

After five years and 266 columns, I am pondering a request for feedback. I’ll be honest - I still haven’t decided.

As some of you may have noticed by now, I am not a very controversial writer. Therefore I don’t tend to receive the same kind of reaction that a good editorial or an investigative article can generate.

In fact the only published ‘Letter to the Editor’ regarding something I wrote was sent by ‘the 2005 Potato Festival Committee’ in response to a column that poked fun at the publishers of the ‘Festivals and Events of Ontario Guide’ for not including our own beloved festival in their book.

‘The 2005 Potato Festival Committee’ was not amused. To this day I look over my shoulder when I buy a bag of spuds.

The only other controversial subject I believe I’ve ever touched on was my support for the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla. Since I didn’t hear boo about that, I assume you were all fine with it too.

I have received one other written response. A very nice lady sent me a very nice e-mail at the tail end of 2004 regarding a column I had written about my freezing cold feet versus Gord’s toasty warm legs. It seemed a similar dynamic played out in her home. (I wonder if her husband has contemplated the building of a pillow wall to protect his legs.)

I’ve also been (ahem) recognized in person on a few occasions. Once was at Stedman’s department store years ago. I was paying for my purchases and the young girl behind the counter asked if I was the person who wrote ‘Spaghetti for Breakfast’. In retrospect it might have been wiser to ask first why she wanted to know (she could have been related to someone on the Potato Festival Committee), but as it turned out she liked the column.

The second occasion was a little less legitimate. I was donating money to the Simcoe Hospice organization at the grocery store, when the volunteer and I began discussing the local newspaper. I said I wrote for the paper, and after I specifically stated the name of my column, the woman said that she thought she had “sort of recognized me”.  I blushed.

Fame is certainly all encompassing.

Most recently I was purchasing carnations from the MS Society and one of the two friendly ladies at the table asked if I was Mrs. Spaghetti-for-Breakfast. Although it’s not exactly spelled that way on my driver’s license I said that yes, I was. They told me that they liked the ‘Gord’ columns.

The ‘Gord’ columns are pretty popular at our dentist’s office too.  So much so that I may have a hard time getting him to go to his appointment next month. (“They know too much. They know too much... “)

So here I am, just as indecisive as I was at the beginning of the column. Do I ask for feedback or do I really want to know? I’ll be honest - although people’s opinion about the column matters to me, I may just stick with the status quo.

Since I haven’t heard (too much) boo about it, I’ll assume that you’re all fine with it too.