I read with interest Wendy Harpster’s Dec. 18 letter, titled “A response to ‘short people” letter,” decrying a “whiney letter about being short.”
I had not seen the “whiney” post and wondered who could be so frivolous during the pandemic as to seriously complain about being short.
When I finally saw Ms. Fisk’s Viewpoint, in the Dec. 14 Gazette, (to paraphrase the poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,”) “what to my wondering eyes should appear” was not a “whiney letter” but an obviously funny (at least to me) and self-mocking sendup by Ms. Fisk about the travails of being short.
I get it: lots of people didn’t think “Seinfeld” was funny either. But really, Ms. Harpster, did you think Ms. Fisk was seriously asking the public to celebrate Short Girl Appreciation Day?
Then, it came to me: this pandemic has killed people’s sense of humor too.
But, beyond not getting Ms. Fisk’s sense of humor, Ms. Harpster, however, persisted, deciding to attribute to Ms. Fisk characteristics about which she knew nothing, stating, “Put on your big girl panties, get a life, and quit complaining.”
Actually, Peg has gotten a life, with a career as a renowned and beloved high school English teacher for more than 30 years. In addition, after she retired, she then “put on her big girl panties” for years, driving from her former home in Port Chester, N.Y., for over an hour for many years to Sing Sing Penitentiary.
There she was a volunteer teaching English classes to enable inmates and helping them to get degrees. At the end of each semester, the inmates gave her standing ovations. They actually thought Peg was funny, but more importantly, they knew she cared about them.
I’m sure this is so since I’ve known Peg my entire life - I’m her younger brother. My recommendation, Ms. Harpster, is to “put on your big girl panties,” get a sense of humor and try and be less judgmental in the new year. Merry Christmas!
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