The LuLac Edition #1213, June 19th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: OUR INTERVIEW LOGO.

INTERVIEW

The Luzerne County Courthouse decided to get rid of the Crossing Guards on River Street. The Crossings Guards have been a long time institution near the Dome. Various and sundry people have held those jobs through the years, some political appointees, some friends, some who legitimately applied for the position. I talked to a former Crossing Guard who was employed at the Courthouse.
Q: I remember you, do you remember me?
A: Oh yeah. I’m surprised you never wound up working at the Courthouse. I’d see you and your Uncle Timmy (Editor's note: Timmy Pribula, School Director at Wyoming Area and Field Assessor at the Courthouse) all the time crossing the street and at the dinners.
Q: Yeah I was very grateful for my uncle letting me tag along to these political things. Tell me when you went to these “dinners” were you forced to go?
A: No, never. I won’t lie to you it was suggested but I was never strong armed. I did it out of a gratitude for the job. And plus I was a party man going all the way back to Harry Truman.
Q: How many years were you a Crossing Guard?
A: Oh more than ten.
Q: What was your favorite part of it?
A: The people. Seeing them all dressed up for work. I worked in the mines and I had to get used to that.
Q: Worst part of it?
A: The winters. God awful. That little shack only kept you so warm.
Q: You know the Commissioners are getting rid of that service.
A: (Shrugging his shoulders) Same old same old.
Q: What do you mean?
A: Look these guys crossing people aren’t getting top wages. But to save money they are getting rid of the little guys.
Q: That happens all over. They never get rid of the big shots. In the last two jobs I got laid off from they kept the flunkies and the people that had nowhere near the passion I had for the company.
A: Hell no. How much they gonna save by getting rid of those guys? 30 grand tops!
Q: Do you think there will be a safety issue?
A: No (laughing) the paper and Penn Dot say there won’t be. But watch if somebody gets clipped.
Q: Having been there for a few years, but realizing it’s been a while since you worked there, do you think politicians are corrupt?
A: No I don’t. I think that sometimes when they get that office, that power, they have a type of temporary insanity.
Q: Are you saying they become crazy?
A: No not that. It’s like they lose all the common sense they ever learned. Makes you scratch your head.
Q: Any advice to the guys losing their jobs?
A: Enjoy the summer. Then good luck.
Q: Any advice to the people running the Courthouse?
A: Shut it down and start all over.
Q: I said that on TV a few years ago.
A: Well we’re obviously two smart fellas aren’t we?