The nose knows when
youíre under influence
I work in a local retail establishment and deal with the public daily. Let me say this simply for those of you under the influence. We smell you.
Iím not talking about people who need to bathe. Well, this is also a problem but not the one I want to rant about today.
It has become a daily occurrence that I have to deal with people who reek of marijuana or are pickled with alcohol.
What happened to public shame? I am not ancient, but I can remember a time when people would be afraid to go out in public in such a state because they feared the publicís reaction.
Well, let me be the first to give you a clue. We the non-stoned or non-pickled public are getting tired of it. You are a danger to society. You alter your state of consciousness and then get behind the wheel of your vehicle. You put everyone else at risk. You stumble around in public, and you are oblivious to those around you who are appalled and try to stay out of your way.
I am amazed when I drive around our city and next to me will be a vehicle that looks like a stunt double from an old Cheech and Chong movie. You have so much smoke flowing from your vehicle the car behind you stands a good change of getting a contact high.
You alcohol drinkers are also guilty. No longer do you fear the charge of public drunkenness or driving under the influence. Open container laws are flouted as you drive around drinking without fear.
Get off the road, stay out of the public, go back to your mamaís basement and stop endangering the rest of us.
ó Rick Johnson
Salisbury
Think big on shopping
In answer to Mayor Susan Kluttzís article in the Holiday Guide, I think she is not seeing the big picture for shopping.
I do agree that some of the shops downtown are good, and I do shop with several of them. Downtown shopping is the type of shopping one would do on holiday vacation. For weekly or monthly shopping, people are looking for a larger variety and quality of shops. Larger malls with a greater number of shops can offer bigger sales and discounts.
A day out shopping in one large mall or town (such as Mooresville) is worth the time and gas. Salisbury needs to realize the number of people who shop outside the city and the amount of money going elsewhere. We need more shops and a better mall.
ó Maxine Dvoracek
Salisbury