Frank PournelleThe pledge drive continues. If you haven’t subscribed, consider doing it now. It won’t take long. This site operates on the public radio model. It is free, but it can only continue if enough of you subscribe and renew. If you haven’t subscribed, now would be a good time to do that.
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BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR
From inside ChaosManor one day many, many years ago, Dr. Pournelle spied the head of the Screen Actors Guild leaving behind something nasty on his front lawn.
The former star of the Mary Tyler Moore Show had a large sheepdog in tow who was clearly well fed and friendly, but the deed lay where it occurred. It being 1981 or so, not many mores had been established about picking up after your dog yet… but it was polite to at least act guilty and apologetic.
Jerry hit save on Ezekial, sprang from his chair, opened the blinds and window to yell at the receding back of the actor “Hey, you gonna pick that up?”
There were no other words exchanged, but there was one middle finger in response from one of the most famous curmudgeons of all time.
That’s when Jerry decided to obtain justice…by his own devious hand.
That afternoon, Jerry took his siberian|shephard mix Klondike, for a timely walk. Dr. Pournelle, holder of two advanced science degrees, found himself hurrying his own dog to the front of the same man’s house and succeeded in providing his own retort to the argument. Right there on the lawn around the corner where the ex-wife, Nancy Sykes lived.
For weeks this nearly daily ritual continued wherein the ‘debaters’ started carrying bags with them to make absolutely sure the point was made –even if the digestion of the canine combatants was premature.
One day suddenly the sheepdog failed to make his escorted visit. This kind of made Jerry sad and wistful, so he started taking Klondike on a different route to walk up to the Tree People on Mulhouland. Larry Niven now joined him. Months later Jerry’s family dog passed. Roberta and the kids were devastated. Construction on the second floor of ChaosManor began and the Pournelle family moved on.
Construction on ChaosManor created a second floor with clear view of the street and a parapet balcony across from the great hall lined with books. Settled into his new digs, Jerry had finally made his mark.
Low and behold his nemesis returned, this time with a new, smaller dog. Ah! The debate was to be continued! Jerry ran across the great hall and ducked out the second floor to yell with glee “HEY! YOU GONNA PICK UP AFTER YOUR MANGY CURR!” Again a one fingered response and this time the slightest of smiles from them both.
That afternoon, Jerry took Roberta to a dog breeder and they picked out SASCHA a black and white full blown wolf siberian husky. The first order of business was to teach the dog a new trick about where and when to do his business.
This rivalry might have gone on for a great number of dogs including a collie, another siberian named Sable, a bulldog who had to be driven and carried to its mark, and even a chow-chow.
Nine dogs, four decades and a host of sanitation laws later, we thank Mr. Asner for his philosophical contribution.
Without neighbors we might just forget what we are fighting for collectively…the freedom to make our own mark on this world.
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Update: We traded tweets with Mr Asner asking if he remembered Dr. Pournelle. His reply: “Ah! A worthy opponent”