Thursday, June 29, 2006

Real Baltimore Sun headline yesterday: "Rain Not Done Here Yet"

Anne and I wonder how this could have happened. I imagine a board meeting of Sun editors and reporters in a windowless conference room with cheesy wood paneling and a long plastic table. A reporter says he has a huge story. "Did you guys know it's been raining? A lot! And It might rain again, too."

Three editors comment: "Wow, damn! Really?"
"Is that so?"
"You don't say."

Silence.

Another reporter says, "Did you guys know it's been raining?"
Says one of the editors, "You know, I just heard about that! How long is it going to last? Is it done yet?"
The reporter: "Here? No, not yet."

Silence.

One of the editors: "Well, we need a headline today. Does anybody have a headline today?"
Reporter 1: "Well, it's been raining a lot."
Editor 1: "Where? Here?"
Reporter 1: "Yes. Yes, it's been raining quite a lot. And it's not done yet. Someone should write a story."
Editor 1: "So it's been raining? And it's not done here yet?"
Reporter 1: "Yeah, that's what I heard. I have a couple sources, anyway. Should I write a story?"
Editor 1: "Well, is it done here yet? You know, we need a headline and I think I might have one. When can you have this story done by? Can it be done in five minutes? I want a doughnut."
Reporter: "I can do that." He scribbles a few lines of the story. "Did you say doughnut?"
Editor 2 : "doughnuts? Are we getting doughnuts?"
Reporter 2: "I want doughnuts. Are we getting doughnuts?"
Editor 1: "Doughnuts! Get us some doughnuts! Is that story done here yet? I want doughnuts!"
Reporter 1: "Well, I have a weather report. Maybe we can print that as our top story."
Editor 1: "Still need a headline. And some doughnuts, goddammit!"
Editor 2: "How about 'Rain Not Done Here Yet'?"
Editor 1: "It's raining?"
Editor 2: "I guess so. And it's not done yet. I just thought, you know, we might want to tell people it's not done here yet. And where are those doughnuts? I want doughnuts!"
Editor 1: "We're getting doughnuts?"
Reporter 2: "Can I have a jelly doughnut?"

I'd kind of like to work at the Sun.

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