Jerk Radar

Some people are compulsive writers of letters to the newspapers. The same names appear repeatedly on the op-ed pages. Emeritus Professor Robert Burns is one such individual. Even though he tries to avoid the most controversial issues, he eventually steps on someone's toes who strikes back at him for his remarks. Interwoven with the story are discussions of such diverse subjects as English grammar, ecology, the metric system, gardening, fishing, and bird watching, as well as a healthy dose of humor. Although it has been said that there are no new stories left to tell, this one might just qualify.