OKLAHOMA, DAY SEVEN

And when we say
Yeeow! Ayipioeeay!
We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine,
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma O.K.

Welcome to day seven of the Bartlesville standoff. It’s been four days since I first sent my letters to the committee that didn’t read and then banned Bermudez. I continue to hear nothing.

You have not been silent, though, I’ve long lost count of how many letters have been written. Many of you are copying them to me, putting them in the comments here, or over in the comments at Brotherhood2.0. I have read every single one, and they are, on the whole, pretty amazing. I see that both Meg Cabot and Neil Gaiman have picked up on this little saga of mine, along with several other writer friends and various blog friends I have yet to meet. There are too many links to list here.

I have news that they have gotten your notes and mine, though . . . even though they do not reply. There is a little rumble in the air in Bartlesville, friends. I’m not 100% clear on what is happening, but I think that our friend (she is friend to us all) Ninja Librarian Susan Hunt may be in some kind of trouble because of this. I don’t know that for certain yet, but if she is . . . you can be certain that there will be an unleashing of the hounds.

Please stay tuned on this subject for Susan’s sake.

The only update I have right now is that the library’s two copies of Bermudez (awaiting banishment) have vanished! One was checked out by a reader and not returned. It has presumably been whisked away to safety. Hooray from you reader.

The other one is with committee head Janet Vernon, who apparently hasn’t given it back.

Oh, you naught Bartlesville minxes! Now you’ve really ruffled Free Monkey’s fur. And by fur, I mean his plush coating. And by plush, I mean kind of knobbly knitting. Now you’re just adding insult to injury. Stealing public property—even BANNED public property—is very naughty indeed! Please give the book back to the library, so that it may be put into a lead box, or whatever it is you do with dangerous materials like novels that feature a positive, clean portrayal of homosexuality.

Until then, I’m going to be sending down copies of the book to Ninja Librarian Susan Hunt. I don't know what she can do with them, but they are hers, not paid for by tax money.

As some of you may have seen from J. Green’s Brotherhood2.0 video, tomorrow is TELEPHONE DAY! Yes, tomorrow, both J. Green and I will be trying to get through to the committee members on the phone. You will undoubtedly see these efforts on Brotherhood2.0.

I hope they pick up the phone. Otherwise I will have to GO to Bartlesville, where Free Monkey and I will perform selected scenes from the musical Oklahoma outside of their office windows. And believe me, you don’t want that. Free Monkey REALLY likes Rogers and Hammerstein, and my dance interpretation of the cowboy walk will never leave you.



Don't make me unleash my dance on you!

And just so you know that this has not totally consumed my life and that it isn’t going to be the only thing I talk about for the rest of my days . . . I can tell you that I will be posting a video that has nothing to do with this very soon. Also, more monkey, more pirates, more everything else that you know and love. (Or at least tolerate with extreme good will.) Also, if you want to see me and/or Free Monkey in person, I will be at the Princeton Teen Book Festival this weekend.

But again . . . please stay tuned for news about Susan and any potential developments.

And please . . . KEEP UP THE NOTES! Something is happening! Onward!

Once again, the addresses are:

Mrs. Janet Vernon, Executive Director of Secondary Instruction
Dr. Richard Rosenberger, Executive Director of Human Resources
Mr. Chuck McCauley, Principal of Bartlesville High School

UPDATE: another Bartlesvillian, Ninja Librarian Beth, tells me that this still hasn't even hit the local paper. So, if have a moment and the inclination, please drop a copy of your letter to the local newspaper editor.



We need your letters!