Dream Into Reality

The weirdest thing happened to me last Friday night. For some reason I don't even recall, I was downtown and decided to park my car and WALK (that, in itself, is enough to make me suspect, I know, so you probably shouldn't trust anything else I say). Well, to make a long story longer, I somehow ended up on Market Square with about 400 other people. Imagine that, 400 people in the middle of downtown Knoxville after dark! Not only that, but they had some great live music going (blues, punk, and country rock 'n' roll), and people were eating, dancing, laughing, singing, spending money, and, God help us, many of them appeared to actually be having FUN! There were older folks, college students, young families with kids, even a few low-key gay couples (so I knew I wasn't in Farragut anymore, Toto). And, get this, people were actually consuming alcoholic beverages out in the open in a mature and responsible manner (unlike that witnessed on national television during the recent UT/Florida game.) In short, a great time was had by all, nobody got hurt or impregnated (that I know of), and Satan, despite repeated warnings from the obligatory street corner preacher, failed to make an appearance. So, what I want to know now is: Was this a dream? And, if so, when can I have it again?

Jeff Callahan
Farragut

Ed. Note: The crowd was estimated to top out at 2,000.

KAT Invaluable

We are writing in response to the article on Sept. 24, titled "Get on the Bus" [by Joe Tarr, Vol. 8, No. 38]. We would like to inform you of our connection with KAT and the enormous impact they have on the lives of mentally and physically challenged people in Knoxville. Sunshine Industries, a vocational training center, is one of the many agencies in town that serves the disabled. We can attest to the fact that KAT is an invaluable resource that enhances the lives of its riders.

On average, over 100 individuals in our program use KAT on a regular basis to commute to jobs, attend leisure activities, or go to appointments. Public transportation allows the disabled population the freedom and ability to be contributing citizens. Riding the bus gives a sense of independence and accomplishment to individuals whose opportunities would otherwise be very limited.

The buses are clean and modern. The fare is reasonable and affordable with half-price available to senior citizens, students, and the disabled. The drivers are accommodating and understanding of individual needs. Many times they have gone out of their way to report concerns for the safety and well-being of the individuals on their routes.

The system may have some limitations with restricted hours and routes, but there is no denying that KAT provides immeasurable benefits to those who depend on their services.

Nancy Walker, Carrie VanBergen, and the Employees of
Sunshine Industries

Pass It Around

I'd like to praise Betty Bean for the well written and informative Oct. 1, 1998 article, "Life According to Amber" [Vol. 8, No. 39]. Although the article focused on the perspective of an "inner-city teen," I believe that the issues of drugs, gangs, crime, racism, teen pregnancy, peer pressure, and daddies who go bye-bye affect "all teens" whether they reside in the inner-city, suburbs, or rural areas; whether they are African American, American Indian, Hispanic, or Caucasian. I encourage parents of teens from all economic and racial backgrounds to read or reread the article and share the article with their teens. The article is an excellent forum to use to discuss issues that you, as parents, may be surprised to learn that your teen (yes, your baby) faces every day!

Regina C. Gee
Knoxville