Ooohs and Oz
I was thrilled to see the article on the Judy Garland Museum in your June issue (“Meet Me in Grand Rapids”). Tim Gihring did a wonderful, fun story that was very well-informed. I wish I could have been a part of the festival and his article. I am a member of the museum, a friend of many of the Munchkins, and a long-time Oz fan—and no, I do not have the ruby slippers. A true Judy fan would never consider taking them.
I have spread Oz to many children’s hospitals and others, and I wanted to thank Tim for casting a bit more green light on the Minnesota Oz connection. Ozsome wishes!
SCOTT ELMS
St. Anthony Village
Wash Your Hands before Returning to the Rest of the Magazine
Fascinating, your story on hand washing (Hippocratise, “Trump Scour,” September). And oh so true: some overdo, some underdo, and a few get it just right. I remember Sister, who taught us youngsters how to wash our hands before she would let us into the operating room to assist. She was of the firm opinion that nobody would get their hands clean. She made us take a dollop of black shoe polish and pretend we were washing our hands with that stuff.
“Now that your hands are black, I’ll blindfold you,” she’d say. “You wash and brush your hands as long as you want to, with plenty of soap and hot water. Scrub till your paws are raw! Finally, yell, and I’ll take the blindfold off.” You guessed it: we all still had plenty of black polish on our shriveled hands.
The Greeks knew it. Seneca learned it from them and wrote manus manum lavat: one hand washes the other. It was his way of putting an aspect of nepotism in three short Latin words—do something for me, and I’ll do something for you.
It would be my pleasure to wash Dr. Bowron’s hands; I would consider it a gesture among friends.
CLAUS A. PIERACH, MD
Minneapolis
And Don’t Forget to Moisturize
Craig Bowron’s “Trump Scour” was a good piece, but in the last paragraph I have an additional recommendation for use of the paper towel. The second-to-last sentence should read as follows: “Put your paper towel to good use: turn the faucet off with towel in hand, pull the door open with it, and then toss it in the garbage.”
DON SNYDER
Burnsville
Upstaged?
I understand that it’s a challenge living in “outstate” Minnesota. But it really was driven home as I read your cover story “Best in Shows: Top Tickets for Fall Entertainment” (September). It is truly sad that not a single performance in Duluth, St. Cloud, or even little old Austin could crack your top 50 list. Rochester’s Riverside Concert series even gave your writers a hint by purchasing an ad on page 98 of the magazine. Joan Baez or the Canadian Brass for less than $20…those would be near the top of my Minnesota picks. The Glenn Miller Orchestra performed October 11 at Austin’s Historic Paramount Theatre, and I’m sure Red Wing, Marshall, Mankato, and dozens of other Minnesota cities could add shows to the list. You have a good Twin Cities magazine going; why not find out what else is happening in our great state?
DICK MCINTOSH
Austin
