Yet Another Political Post

Neon Memes • Shortly after we became co-workers at a local accounting firm, I startled my amigo Kevin Jones, now the creative project manager at Lincoln Industrial (1 Lincoln Way, 314.679.4200). "Penny for the guy," Kev said to me one day. "Ah, November 5," I replied. "The anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot." On a college jaunt to England, Kev had developed an odd fondness for the soldier of fortune who tried to bomb Parliament in 1605―but Kev hadn't expected another Yank to recognize a reference to Guy Fawkes. In any event, a full year passed. It was perhaps 5 a.m. My pillow and I were still communing when the phone rang. "Penny for the guy," said a voice at the other end of the line. Click! Later that day, Kev and I chuckled over his prank...and I started scheming. Another full year passed. Quite early, I visited Kev's new employer and slid under the front door an envelope addressed to him, containing a single cent and a card reading, "Penny for the guy." Soon thereafter, our Gunpowder Plot one-upmanship went on hiatus, but each November 4, I still think of good ol' Kev. And that evening, I disable the ringer on my landline. ―Bryan A. Hollerbach, Managing Editor