What's good for the goose and gander

Morris legend has it that the Super 8 Motel came into being because of a particular incident. Cannot confirm that it's true although it seemed credible. Super 8 is located along that northern stretch of highway that now seems so challenged, what with the very pregnant (obvious) vacated Shopko building, and a hospitality establishment that does not seem to be humming. Vicissitudes of the business world obviously.
Every "old" building has a story that begins when it was new and vigorous. Anyway, Morris lore has it there was a phone inquiry at a Morris hospitality establishment many years ago. It was from a farmer or agriculture professional. I guess FFAers don't really want to be known as "Future Farmers" anymore, it's just "FFA." Fine and dandy. The word "agribusiness" came into vogue at one time.
So, this ag person was calling about getting lodging in connection to the famous Wulfs' sale. I went to high school with Jerry Wulf, class of '73. At one point in the phone exchange, the hospitality employee laid out options, perhaps based on whether a particular facility might be full. Mention was made of a basic motel in Morris, what one might describe as an economy option, the kind of place we saw at the end of the movie "Fargo" where the bad guy character was trying to make his escape.
Such a motel would seem quite sufficient - certainly by my standards it would be. I remember once staying in a $9 hotel room on St. Cloud's main street the night before classes would begin at St. Cloud State. Switched on the TV that night and Joey Bishop was guest-hosting "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson." Me and a friend decided that such circumstances represented the epitome of being "down": "a nine-dollar hotel room and Joey Bishop."
Bishop got a bad rap as a guest host who basically underwhelmed. This was the meme anyway in Hollywood circles. He was a "rat pack" guy who was actually known as a genius comedian. He had a flair for making you laugh if you were just with him, it was said. I remember hearing the same about Jonathan Winters.
So, the agriculture guy is on the phone checking out options for accommodations for the Wulfs' "Opportunity Sale." Some quite prestigious people came for that. I heard one year, the actor who played Rocky Balboa's opponent in a movie came. He was African-American if that helps you pin down who it was.
We all revere the memory of Leonard Wulf. I remember covering the big event more than once for the Morris newspaper. And, Leonard Wulf got philosophical as he addressed the assemblage. He proclaimed that God placed the domestic animals in the world for our benefit, all a part of God's plan. Stuck me as credible.
So the ag guy on the telephone says to the hospitality receptionist that the economy motel might not be up to the desired standards of the party in question. Morris lore has it that the receptionist said "oh, it's good enough for farmers."
Well, umbrage was taken, word no doubt circulated and wheels were put in motion for Super 8 to come into being. And now we have Grandstay too. When my family first came to town, there was nothing out there. The bypass and the bike trail didn't exist either. Main street was where you went to shop. One night every week the stores would be open. It was a social occasion.
We loved dining at the old Del Monico Cafe which occupied a part of the now-vacated Thrifty White on the west side. When you stepped on the ramp there, you were entering the old Del Monico space. The Del Monico included the Colony room where the Morris Kiwanis held its meetings. I'd sit on a stool and often ordered a chocolate malt. Shorty's by the movie theater was another restaurant hangout. Pinball available. Hot beef sandwich for the noon special.
Why am I thinking of the old Super 8 story today? I guess it's social class consciousness. What prompts this? I guess it's thinking about the new City of Morris water treatment plant. I have about pulled out my hair lately focusing on this. Why hasn't the City of Morris done better communicating with the citizenry about how to respond to the plant? It seems puzzling until you realize the realities, then it's obvious.
If the City were honest it would have to say this: "The City due to the new plant can offer everyone water which is sort of decent but not perfect. We think the decent water will be good enough, or ought to be good enough, for all the common anonymous folks out there. But for the more well-to-do, well, they might want to take steps to still have ideal water. You all know who you are, what category you fall in."
So the city says nothing, and just lets us sort of fill in the blanks ourselves. A friend suggested to me that the new plant was implemented not with the basic city residents in mind, rather it has to do with the water mains and mineral residues or something like that. Also, as I learned previously and reported on this blog, the city is seeking government money to cover the cost of the plant but needs to show that the chloride level is going down in the river (polluted).
That incentive is not the same as taking care of the regular city residents and their interests, get it? You might say the residents are an afterthought in the process - we'll get by somehow as we always do. Is the water good enough now? Well it's good enough for the common folks. Maybe.
I broke down and bought a new on-demand softener a week ago. Yes, a financial drain just on the doorstep of Christmas, not an ideal thing to have happen. Yes I was upset. You can try to fight city hall but you have to roll with the punches too. Someone at McDonald's told me he had a friend who watered her plants with the new city water and the plants died.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com