Monday, 4/3

It's been over twenty years. I wonder how much longer it'll take before people stop referring to K.I. Sawyer as “The Base”?

It's funny, but three times in the past few weeks I've had people on the air tell me they're either at “The Base” or at “KI Sawyer Air Force Base” when I've asked them from where they're calling. And that's not unusual. In fact, it probably happens every week or two. Oh sure; many people who call say they're either from “Sawyer” or “K.I. Sawyer”, but over 20 years after the base closed, some people still refer to by its old name. In fact, when I was fl;ying into Sawyer from Florida last week, I heard someone on the plane call it “The Base”, as well.

Curious.

I can see why there are some people, especially old-timers, who still call it that. After all, if you've grew up saying “K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base” it's probably ingrained in your brain that way. But at least one of the people who called it “The Base” last week was younger. In fact, they were probably just a kid when “The Base” closed and K.I. Sawyer became just “K.I. Sawyer”, minus “Air Force Base”, so I'm pretty sure they didn't grow up calling it “K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base”. Yet, 20-plus years after the fact, they're still referring to it that way.

Like I said...curious.

Of course, it's not just K.I. Sawyer that falls into this category. Just a couple of days ago I heard someone talking about “the new school” in Harvey. The school they're talking about is, of course, Cherry Creek School, a building that opened over 25 years ago. But because it was built AFTER Silver Creek, which is actually no longer a school, it's still referred to as the “new” school.

Now, if we could only get individuals to start doing that to people, and not just buildings or communities. That way, people who know my parents might start referring to me as the “new” Koski. And trust me—that's something about which, at my age, I would not complain!

8-)

Anyway, if you happen to find yourself innocently referring to K.I. Sawyer by using any phrase which includes the word “Base” in it, you're in good company. And, the way it's going, you'll probably be in that good company for another 20 or so years!

(jim@wmqt.com)