A call from the manager; stern letter to follow

Regional Editor Mark Olson barks orders into telephone. Very dramatic.

The esteemed editor of the Chaska Herald, Mark Olson, came to call yesterday, and comfort the gnarly retired publisher in his basement study. Much to discuss, a single beer was consumed between the two of them, a far cry from past times, when a visit to the old green room signaled a much more robust experience.

Mr. Olson joined the staff in 199?, a reporter hailing from Thief River Falls. The two, as usual, had much to reflect upon, not the least of which was his recent promotion, elevating him to Regional Editor of the quirky chain, now called Big Fish. Founded in 1862, the Herald has had numerous editors in its storied past, including yours truly, and one ex-editor now sadly suffering from dementia.

We imagined that our conference was interrupted constantly by the busy newsroom, calling for sage advice from the new appointee, who barked orders into the sturdy telephone at hand.

Not the only laugh, of course, also true stories about Jim Rosenthal, former news manager of the Providence, Rhode Island paper, who was hired to be Mark’s boss at the Herald. Jim was enthralled by the constantly changing Minnesota weather, so different from boring Rhode Island. 

Often Mark had to talk his boss down from assigning stories like the “exceedingly warm stretch of weather we've been having” which Mark knew would be over before the paper came out.

Wonder what he would have thought of the weather this week? Mark mused.

The Missus ordered a mid-sized pepperoni from Pizza Luce, downed with relish.
Mr. Rolfsrud poured. A good time was had by all.