A Disgruntled Flint Fire Fighter, I Presume

What exactly does this photo have to do with Flint? Keep reading to find out. And, no, it's not a reference to Paul's Pipe Shop.

Sometimes crediting the source of a blog item takes up more space than the item itself, which is one of the reasons many lazy bloggers (which may be redundant) don't even bother. But I have high standards for Flint Expatriates — except when it comes to spelling or making a profit — so bear with me.

Here's an item from Ron Fonger at The Flint Journal, who got it from an email in response to another Journal article — actually, just a reprint from The Florida Times-Union, a strange paper that runs a daily Bible verse in its editorial pages — that referenced a website called Eighteen in America, which is where Fonger ultimately got the quote he used.

Hello? Are you still with me? Are you wondering why I don't just reprint the "You know you're from Flint if...", which is the most popular post in the history of Flint Expatriates? That would be more interesting, right? But we've come this far, so let's just get it over with.

Apparently, some kid from Williamstown, Massachusetts named Dylan Dethier decided to golf in every state in the country, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, and he got in a round at Swartz Creek Golf course, where a former firefighter allegedly told him: "Be careful around here. Keep your wits about you. I was a firemen in this city for 27 years, and it's as bad now as ever. If I were you, I'd play this course and then get the hell out of Flint by the time it gets dark."

Not sure that was even worth it.

By the way, are there people out there — besides troubled individuals trying to sound like Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Watson — who actually say things like "Keep your wits about you"?