5:10 a.m. Thursday morning. All is quiet in the newsroom. Jeff has the music cranked in the adjacent studio. Pete is staring right through the computer screen.
'How many times have I done this? There's no news and I have nothing going in my life either. Am I am going to be doing this another 15 years?'
The thoughts raced through the mind of Pete Moss as he tried to come up with a decent lead for the story about the tractor versus car accident that happened around midnight north of Roseville. No one was hurt and usually this wouldn't make the news at all, but it is a very slow news day.
Pete thought about the folks he knows in and around Roseville and how they welcomed him then and continue to welcome him into their homes every morning. He knew that was pretty big. He got a kick, still, out of broadcasting local sporting events. But Peggy Lee's lyric echoed across the ballroom between his ears, "Is that all there is?"
When he arrived in Roseville right out of college, he thought he'd be here three years. Five, tops. Then he would be in a bigger market, either Madison or Milwaukee. He was sure of it.
'Well,' Moss thought, 'kiss that good-bye. I'm too old now for a gig like that. I'm closer to the end than the beginning. Too close to the top of the ladder with no rungs left.' Ugh.
The only choices for an old news man, he knew, were working in government or finding a public relations job. Some guys he knew went into insurance, but he had a vision problem there. He just couldn't see it happening.
The copy finished, he loaded it onto the screen and double checked to make sure the sound planned to run during the newscast would fire when he touched the button on the computer.
5:22 a.m. enough time to get into the kitchen for a donut and cup of tea.
As Pete walked in he was surprised to see Jack sitting with his back to the door looking at the river while holding a steaming cup of coffee.
"Good morning, Pete."
"Hi, Jack. Surprised to see you so early; can I help you?"
"Well Pete, I was going to ask you the same thing."
"What?"
"Come on, Pete. Ever since the ski show you've been doing a fine job as always, but you aren't yourself. What the heck is going on?"
"Jack, I'm not sure. I've always loved what I do, but lately it seems like it is more of the same and I'm just spinning my wheels and not getting anywhere. You took a big chance on me way back when, but now I can't help wondering what I should be doing or if I'm just playing out the string."
"Yeah, I've been there. Once I started the station I was pretty excited and every day was new with something unexpected around the corner. It was an adrenaline rush every day. But if you ride the roller coaster long enough it eventually the thrill ends. That's when I had to change my approach and find new things to learn or different ways to get things done."
"Gee, boss, sounds like you have been inside my head these last two weeks."
"I'll tell you what, Pete. Go finish the air shift, then come down to my office - I have a couple other things I'd like to discuss with you. I could use your advice."
"OK, thanks, Jack." Pete turned with his mug of tea in the WRSE/WMJM mug and walked back to his desk. He slid into his chair and adjusted the screen just as Jeff introduced him and the morning news.
"Thanks, Jeff. Good morning, everyone. Let's look at what is making news today..."
Chapter 22 is next. Later today at 3 pm.
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