Building a new bandwagon and calling it my flagship

I can't begin to tell you how many of you good folks have come up to me in the past couple of weeks to tell me what a great idea I had.

Recently, I wrote that Cape Girardeau, home of the Missouri state flag, has never capitalized on this piece of important state history. I suggested that if AT&T wants to build a 14-story cell tower downtown, then having a huge Missouri flag fluttering at the top would be at least one attempt to claim our rightful heritage.

The fact that so many of you commented on this idea -- and told me how great it was -- is special for many reasons.

First, I rarely have great ideas. I have a lot of so-so ideas, and occasionally I pull off a fairly good idea. But a great idea? Those are as rare as rebates on your city utility bill.

Over the nearly 20 years I've called Cape Girardeau my home -- and proud of it -- I have championed what I thought were good causes. Some of them might even be on the border of great. I'll let you decide.

I have tried to elevate the lowly opinion so many of you have of fruitcakes, for example. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but to the bakers of fruitcakes who seek good uses for rum this is of great import.

I had the idea for playing golf in downtown Cape, a bit of whimsy that others like Charlie Herbst and Eric McGowan and Julia Thompson have worked hard to turn into a fun afternoon, complete with all-you-can-eat catfish.

By the way, this year's event, which continues to raise money for the Red House Interpretive Center, is scheduled for Sept. 29. The weather will be spectacular that day. Don't ask me how I know. I just do.

One of my best ideas, I think, was introducing many of you to our cats -- Miss Kitty, Miss Kitty II and the current Missy Kitty. It's hard to beat a good cat story. As a result of my occasional scribblings about Miss(y) Kitty, I've heard so many wonderful and funny stories about your pets too. Isn't life grand?

I have also advocated some darker objectives. If we could only have one week of open season on squirrels in Cape Girardeau each year, and another week of organized warfare on the deer population, I could say I had a pretty good life after all. But not everyone agrees with me. As a matter of fact, a lot of you take issue with my stand on squirrels and deer. That's OK. I still think you're going to heaven. Well, most of you.

The second and most important reason your comments about my idea for a huge Missouri flag waving over the rooftops of downtown Cape Girardeau are so special is this:

It wasn't my idea.

Really. You need to pay attention here. The idea for a Missouri flag on the proposed downtown AT&T cell tower came from the good folks at AT&T, led by Marsha Haskell, someone who deals with all kinds of interesting situations involving customers, including some cranky old retired newspaper editors. Or so I've heard.

But let's focus on the matter at hand.

A. Cape Girardeau is the home of the Missouri flag. No other town can make that claim.

B. We have an opportunity to draw attention, and lots of it, to this fact. But we need to act. Now.

C. The original Missouri flag sewn here in Cape Girardeau now resides in Bowling Green, Mo. Heck, I'll bet most of you didn't even know Missouri had a Bowling Green. Obviously, those folks aren't making a big deal of it. We can. And should. We want our flag back.

D. Cape Girardeau promoters are always looking for ways to make our fair city stand out. Sometimes they succeed. Sometimes they don't. It would be pretty difficult to screw this one up. That flag is ours. Not Bowling Green's. Not Jefferson City's. It's ours.

While we're at it, let's make the mule the official city animal. It's already -- since 1995 -- the official state animal. Guess where the campaign to have the mule designated as our official state animal began? Yep. Right here in good old Cape Girardeau. How many tourists know that?

A fine statue of a muscular Missouri mule is in order. Bigger than life size, I suggest. Put it where it can be seen by the most motorists. Put it smack-dab in the middle of the highway that divides our county parks near I-55. Light it up. Make it as big a deal as the giant Missouri flag should be.

There you are. I'd like to take credit for the flag idea. I think I can say I'm the first to propose the mule statue.

I like both ideas. I'll bet there are others. Maybe better.

Maybe great.

Joe Sullivan is the retired editor of the Southeast Missourian.