By Alan Sorensen
Two unrelated Havre couples the Bymasters and the Kieslings brought in an amusing article that relatives in northwest Washington state sent them concerning Havre. The Havre Daily News e-mailed the author of the article and received her permission to pass the story along to its readers.
The small item contained below in its entirety was published in Patti Payne's column in the Eastside Journal of Bellevue, Wash. Beneath that is her letter giving the Daily News permission to reprint the item.
CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?: Outside Top Foods in Woodinville on Monday, people were pawing through colorful offerings of annuals and perennials.
Two people, obviously strangers to each other, were loading up their baskets with clematis vines. You could almost see the plants wilt as the two started fighting over one in particular, called Montana.
The man placed it in his basket. The woman went ballistic.
"I had that set aside," she hissed. "That's why it was over here."
"It wasn't in your basket, was it?" the man asked.
"No, but it was about to be," she said, her voice rising precariously. "It's the last one like it."
"Well, I'm from Montana," the man said, "and I'm taking that plant. It's named after my state."
"Montana men never were any good," said the woman in a last parting shot.
"Where the hell are you from, I might ask?" he said.
"Havre, Montana," the woman said.
"Oh my God, so am I."
The two broke into a series of re-faced apologies and do-you-know-so-and-sos. When I left, it looked as though they might even be exchanging phone numbers!
Following is Patti Payne's letter permitting its reproduction here.
Dear (Havre Daily News): Interesting that you should write me. My late husband's family was from Chinook, Montana. In fact they had the Bucket of Blood tavern in Havre years and years ago. Keller was their name. Arthur and Bertha Keller. My husband was UAL pilot Jim Keller. My daughters are Lee and Jill Keller. The couple in question was amazing. I do not know who they are. ... Yes, you can excerpt it as long as you credit the column and the Eastside Journal. Thanks so much for your asking.
