The story behind the story is that originally I had put up a version of Tom's "Notes from the Census" that I thought would make it more sharp, clean and understandable without losing any of its insight, charm and idiosyncrasies. This can be read here. But Tom immediately thought otherwise and responded. I defended my actions and called for a vote by sending an email to a mutual group of friends and literates. Finally, I made my decision and restored the original. Below are the collected letters in response to the whole hulabaloo. My this is all so self-indulgent, n'est pas?

Friday, July 21, 2000 -- Tony sends an email out

hey y'all

The Illustrious Tom Vacca has made his written mark on rivative.net. But there's controversy! It has been contended that editor n chief Tony has done ill justice to Tom's train-of-thought opus. Could it be? Could these old chums be at loggerheads?

So please do us a favor and check it out. There are FOUR parts to the controversy. The edited story, on the main pge. Then there's Tom's letter-to-the-editor, the published un-edited version and Tony's reply and plea for VOTES.

That's right -- respond to me and say which one is better. I already know the answer, but when I get the votes officially I can change it and then....

Check, check, check it out.

Tony

Same day, a response from Tom after receiving the email

TL7,

Ha! I'm pretty damn proud to be the one who puts the whole system on trial. I'm not out of order here, you're the one who's out of order! YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH, COCKMAN OPPRESSOR. Actually, I wuz just funning ya a bit with last night's e-mail (see the original tom letter). twas late ya see.... Still, I'm confident that massive voter support will bear out that one-time hack journalists can't be pushed around by slick city folk such as yerself. For the record, my vote is for the unabriged stream-o-consciousness (un)edition. chickachicka clackityclack. That's a little something I call mimesis o trains. Hardyharhar. YAR!

tv

Same day, a reply from Ben Barbera, a close mutual chum and fellow Ultimate player. Note: many of the references from this post pertain to Ultimate Frisbee, a sport that the three of us learned together in high school.

Sorry Tony, I gotta go with Tom on this one. Maybe after years of living with him I have become particularly fond of his ranting style, or maybe it's that deep seated resentment we built up in Bloomington for the tampering of someone's work by an individual...or maybe I'm just trying to add fuel to the fire. Anyway, I love the way Tom writes - in fact I have a particularly choice e-mail from him that I leave in my inbox so that Ican read it anytime I need cheering up. I will include it below even though it may not mean much to the non-Ultimate crowd out there.

Having said that, I do enjoy your work Tony - that little blurb about me in the white Smoke article (Ultimate piece I wrote) got a favorable response around these parts - so keep it up. Oh, and I like the font type changes in the edited version.

This is Tom's e-mail that he sent to the mailing list for the diaspora of the Bloomington Ultimate community. It's pure genius.

Subject: The Skyboy is testing the waters....

Ahem. Coff coff.
Is there anybody.... out there??
Just spam me if you can hear me.
Is there anyone @ home?

yadda yadda...

Ahoy-hoy tutti,

Je suis Le Skyboy. Hide yer buds and yer ladies. Well, maybe you don't have to resort to such an extreme as I'm way out here in northern cali with nary an accomplished chucker to throw with. I'm a-thinkin' about heading out to P.Daze, gettin' some of that good ol fambly lovin.

If I may briefly paraphrase a quote from _The Grapes of Wrath_....

"Are you mad, Tom?"
"No ma, I ain't mad"
"Sometimes things make ya meanmad." said Ma Joad
"Gol-dagnit, where's that swilly proacher?" said Tom, his steely blue eyes scanning the horizion for the likes of Tony Farmer and Doug Eck.

Hi doug.

Ed Durkeee- congrats on das veddinshinke!

Jason p Flock- the bulls are 13-53 as of today. They have to lose out, or else you'll have to pony up some casholah. damn. DAMN!

smacksmacksmack. I'm a-talking smack like everybody else. HOOSIERMAMA? SMACKDOWN!

Looks like thisy here email is going to everybody under the collective banner of IU Bton disc sports. Proper reverence to the greatgrandmamas, a strong shout out to all of my contemporaries, and a word of advice to all the pups- DUMP!

out here they call a dump a crag. Would that which we call a dump still be as futile if it were called by any other name? I knoweth not.

Orchids to all, onions to none.
Puppys and jocks go for a run.
Le Skyboy is done.
He's turned to the rum.

byebye

Same day, a response from Ed Gutting, currently working on his dissertation on Eros and Its Portrayal In Classical Greek and Roman Literature or something like that. He is at Princeton University.

hmmm i dont know I didnt see too much reason for the editing, but hey ya never know... That Tom has a filthy mind and he wants, nay craves, to be curbed. You probably did him a good turn. It is clear the boy wants discipline, and plenty of it. I however think you should have given it to him at the end of a pointy stick rather than by editing...