SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1980
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE.
A 3
Pickin' Pears
Newt and Notes
From Camp White
By WALTER TOWNSEND
Flu shots were the order, of
the day Friday with 150 mem
bers appearing from "person
nel" to receive the needles in
their arms.
Margaret (Peg) Corcoran,
secretary to the chief medical
officer, sat at a table at the
entrance to the treatment
room, and chic, with simple
pearls and glamorous brace
lets, presided at the two-hour
session,
. Some appeared with frowns
and apprehension, but Peg's
wit and ruthless reassurance,
gave them courage to endure
it.
She frequently appears at
the coffee shop of a morning,
and greets the morning Vets,
with courtesy and smiles.
striking and neat - and popu
lar with the members - she
perhaps knows a thousand
persons by name. .j
Bestows Titles
Upon some of them she has
bestowed titles of great re-1
spect and outrageous dignity.
Marshall Jackson, she greets j
with profound obeisance.
"Hello, Bishop!" she'll say.
Others, she has addressed ;
with lesser honors, as for in- j
stance, looking at a "certain" j
writer, this week, she said, I
"How are you Walter Lip
mann - or is it Ernie Pyle?" !
It has often been noted by j
the members, talking among
themselves, "CMO s come and
go but Peg stays." Quick of
step and quick of wit - with
a ready smile - Peg has been
secretary to one CMO or an
other for the past seven years.
Often the only womanly per-1
s'onality in the new coffee
shop mornings, Peg comes be
cause she is so welcome, all
lie members suppose.
"There is nothing like Peg,"
some say. "Never will be any
thing like Peg again," others
claim.
Sometimes Wonder Why
The members who think
about it, sometimes wonder
why, in all the names she has
conferred upon different per
sonalities among the men, no
one has yet been referred to
by Peg, as a "Cardinal." She
is saving that high rank, for
some "special" person, it is
generally believed.
She enjoys coffee in the
early morning. And will dis
cuss nearly any subject with
a Veteran - whatever it is -and
with whosoever brings
it up. Nor does she hedge at
love, or marriage, even. Does
not turn away. But looks into
her purse instead, a faint smile
showing on her face, as she
has more than once collapsed
a cbffee-drinker, sitting next
to her.
In her office at the medical
clinic, she sits at a desk be
hind a wide glass window.
and in point of service has
been there through many ad
ministrations. Often the chief
medical officer is seen confer
ring with-and talking to Peg
lor a moment or lwu. many a
member watching them, won
ders, and would like to know
if Peg, slender and erect, is
talking to the doctor about his
particular case?
Medical Fil
Tuesday at 10, a medical
file was in her hand, as seen
through the glass. "That's my
file," one of the members ven
tured Tiopefully, "she's talking
to the MD about me!" Many of
the others heard the remark,
and nodded knowingly, for
they too, sat waiting in the
sicK-caii line.
Her gift of keen and cutting
repartee is enjoyed by the
men, for it does not wound or
hurt, and they trust her im
plicitly. Another time this
week, sipping her coffee slow
ly and staring over the cup,
little finger straight out, she
looked at the "certain" writer
again. He writes for a monthly
publication, with less than a
thousand circulation. "How's
the press of the nation?" she
asked.
"The member writer," could
only grin, and look away. Yet
in a vague sort of emotion, he
felt complimented for his writ
ing ability - or something! -he
did not know just what.
Turns To Coffee-Drinker
She turned to another coffee-drinker,
who had just seat
ed himself with a cup, and
insisted on being heard. "Ill,
Professor!" she said, "how you
like my new nair-ao . . . u
nft ma flaM" She nattod her
well-groomed hair in despair.
The other members iookcci
admiringly at Peg, and One of
(hom tnlrt her. it was worth
more than it cost, in his opin
ion. Apparently she was molli
fied, even though, two or
three Veterans laughed.
But on Friday, the flu shots
came, and the civil service
employees needed cheering
up. To every one's surprise,
Peg Corcoran sat at the table
fhpckinB off names and say
ing, "How are you?" as the
victims filed in. As they came
out. and left, her parting re
marks would invariably
prompt a smile, the pain for
gotten. Doctors, nurses, engineers,
and dietitians came to the ta
ble where Peg sat, with her
pencil and list. "How are you,
John? - bare your arm!" she
said in a low voice. He was a
young man from the person
nel section, "and very hand
some," Peg said.
"He's assistant to the as
sistant," she explained without
a smile. Young John Bourdon
smiled broadly, and stepped
into the treatment room. -
There Christine Bates, RN,
stood in stiff professional
white, and swabbed the spots
on 150 arms to receive the
shots. As they came out, more
went in.
Outside the door, Peg took
care of other details. "You
don't have to sign, Gals," she
said to a group of pale women
coming out. Mrs. Edna Brass
field of the canteen, stood
doubtfully. "It's all right,"
Peg said to her, "the damage
is already done."
Suddenly Peg Corcoran was
very much on the job. "Here's
Dr. Thomas Frank Crowley!"
she exclaimed breathlessly, a
verv fine addition to our
medical staff." Peg works for
Dr. Crowley, or at least, works
with him. The doctor, distin
guished, and just the right age
for greying hair, bowed, sa
luted Peg, and left without a
word.
Mr. Glenn and Frank Glon-
ning, came up to Peg's desk,
and bared their arms and pre
tended to be brave. "Go in
Gentlemen," Peg said encour
agingly; Glonning went first,
and Glenn followed cautious
ly. "A couple of giants!" Peg
commented acidly, looking
down at her desk, overwhelm
ed.
Active Service
She has had 15 years of ac
tive service in the Veterans
administration. "I'm a pio
neer," she said suddenly.
At this moment, Mr. Kelley,
chief of social services, arriv
ed hurriedly in white shirt
sleeves. "Hello , Bob Hope,"
she greeted him. The busy of
ficial, with urgent duties wait
ing, and an unpleasant needle
ahead, at last, made some sort
of suiluble and proper reply.
This might have continued
into further repartee, had not
Dr. Hein arrived In a trot. Ha
was on an emergency case, "1
have to have my 'shot' imme
diately," ho said. The whole
line gave way for him.
L
Save on High Quality
PAINTS
AND WALLPAPER
Colorama Paint Center
"Your Silver Dollar Paint Store"
315 E. Main St. Ph. SP 2-4564
218 Cases Reported
To Sheriff in Oct.
Yreka - Sheriff A. B. Cot
tar reports the following ac
tivities by the Siskiyou Coun
ty Sheriff's office during the
month of October, 1960:
There were 218 cases re
ported and investigated dur
ing the month. These includ
ed: One assault, one auto
theft, 11 burglaries, three
checks, six disturbing the
peace, seven drunk, three
failure to provide, two forg
ery, two insanity, 22 thefts,
one robbery and 111 miscel
laneous criminal cases. There
were 46 miscellaneous non
criminal cases handled.
During the month of Oc
tober there were 85 bookings
at the Siskiyou county jail
of which 78 were adults and
seven were juveniles. The
average daily population for
the month was 63 persons.
The sheriff's civil depart
ment handled 30 cases during
the same period and collected
$228.12 in county fees.
COUNCIL MEETING
Central Point - The city
council meeting Tuesday,
Nov. 1, resulted in the adop
tion of a City Planning com
mission recommendation to
tear down the old grandstand
at the ballpark. All salvable
material will be later utilized
in constructing portable
bleachers. Fencing the field
and building dugouts are also
planned for the future.
HOW
CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE
HEAIS
Station K-BOY
Sundays -9:45 A.M.
mm
IU1
r n
1 1
0
Reach for Your Phone and Dial for . .
WMEI&S
Pre-Holiday Values in
en
,-.
Jit ,
mi-vlJ.ii.-ii I
S - JC if
Carpet Samples
Brought to Your Home
Without Obligation!
Free estimate of your choice of
carpet and pad.
Dial SP 2-9351
Beautiful OVAL BRAIDED
muss
9x12 Better Quality
WOOL BLEND
l?-, " lr
L 88
(a L
L. J Sq.
A!! wool tweed
broadloom.
Brown and beige
or green, brown
and beige. Your
choice.
All wool Willon.
Embossed high low
loop. Hard finish
yarn. Moth proof.
$(f88
i0) .&
All wool.
Embossed. Nutria
moth proofed
Axminster.
3 Rolls all wool
Wilton. Beige,
brown and
turquoise and
spruce green.
Your choice.
$(0)88
lees "lasting
Star" all nylon.
DuPont, 501
continuous filla
ment, longer
wearing. 12 dec
orator colors.
$(g95
rl I Sq.
V Yd.
Large Selection Odd Sizes
REMNANTS!
T00FF
REGULAR
PRICE
ORDER YOUR CARPET NOW-ENJOY IT FOR ALL THE HOLIDAYS!
WIEIEIKS & (IDIKnfi
114 West Main St. 0 Phone SP 2-9351
EASY TERMS
No carrying charges or interest-we carry our
own contracts. There is no extra charge added
to your payments. Shop at Southern Oregon's
longest established Furniture Store where you
find quality at lowest prices.
Open Monday Night