The "Happy 99th Birthday!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading my all-time favorite newspaper column, "The Scribbler".  For those who don't live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania or who might not subscribe to the LNP newspaper, you may have no idea what "The Scribbler" might be.  It has been a part of my life since the late 1950s when I began reading the Lancaster New Era which happened to be the evening newspaper that was published in Lancaster County.  Now, I must admit I had an ulterior motive for reading "The Scribbler" in the local newspaper.  Her name was Sally!  Seems I had a crush on this beautiful young girl who sang in the St. James St. Cecilia woman's and girl's choir.  The choir was the female part of the choir in which I sang, St. James Men and Boys choir.  A few times a month both choirs sang together and that's when I first noticed Sally.  After my voice changed and I had to drop out of the choir, I still got to see her during Sunday School classes each week.  Then, when I became a senior in high school, I gathered up the nerve to ask her to my Senior Prom.  Well, that didn't go so well I guess, since I didn't date her after that.  Now, to connect my love life to "The Scribbler": seems that Mr. Gerald Lestz, "The Scribbler" at the time, was the step-father of Sally.  I thought that by reading his newspaper column I would get an "in" into the life of Sally.  Didn't matter!  Well, I really did like his column and when Mr. Jack Brubaker took over the bi-weekly column in 1979, I just keep reading it.  "The Scribbler" offered stories dealing with the history, culture and humor of Lancaster County.  Now, who wouldn't love a column like that?  "The Scribbler" first appeared in the newspaper on May 24, 1919 when it was published in the Daily Examiner and Express.  That newspaper eventually became Lancaster's evening newspaper, The Lancaster New Era which now is the morning newspaper called LNP.  The only constant in all of this is the column called "The Scribbler".  I must admit that when I began my daily blog, which is going on nine years now, I used "The Scribbler" as my inspiration.  So, today when I opened the newspaper and turned to page A7, what a surprise it was to see that "The Scribbler" is the second oldest newspaper column in the WORLD.  The only column that has been published longer is one called "Beachcomber" which is published in the London Daily Express.  That column celebrated it's 100th anniversary last August.  The "Beachcomber" lampoons contemporary life which is OK with me, but I would rather read the local history and humor of my hometown.  Evidently I'm not the only one who enjoys "The Scribbler" since it just turned 99 years old yesterday.  My only regret about my favorite column is that it has been reduced to one day a week instead of the two days a week I grew to love.  But, if Mr. Brubaker is as old as I am, I can understand.  There is only so much history, culture and humor that one can stand as they age.  I do hope that if Mr. Brubaker ever decides to retire, and I do wish him a happy retirement some time in the future, that there will be someone else to take over the column who has the same wit, humor and writing skill that he has.  Hey, I'm waiting by the phone!  So, Happy 99th Birthday to "The Scribbler"!  Keep it alive and well for many more years if possible!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.