General Manager 307 East Braker Lane Austin, Texas 78753-2746 Mobile:512-845-7531 Fax: 512-490-6647 Phone: 512-490-6637 E-mail: tile@airmail.net

More About the Power Poles: Seeing Beauty in the Beasts

To the Editor:

Mr. Freilich is entitled to his opinion of the new electrical distribution poles. I object, however, to the slant that there can be no other point of view. I see beauty in these beasts.

Did you see how expertly they erected them, and how skillfully they strung the lines? This was no small task. There's beauty in the planning and execution of a highly complex operation by dedicated professionals who do their very best at considerable risk to bring you the luxury of light at the flip of a switch. Ms. Fowler did an excellent job of planning this work; before you call to complain about the blight, be sure to congratulate her on a job well done.

Have you seen the wires at just the right angle in the early morning or late afternoon sun? They look lit up. That's beautiful to me.

Did you know the lines are warm? That's why you see birds on them, lined up in perfect order with equal spacing on a cold morning. It's beautiful to see them burst into flight, banking this way and that before alighting on another wire. What was the problem with the first wire, one wonders?

Have you seen how uniformly they stand, those poles, how straight the line they make, how constant the arc of the wires as far as the eye can track them? Do you imagine what it would be like to sit at the top? It must be beautiful.

I look forward to the benefits of this new distribution: a more reliable electrical current. Your appliances, computers and light bulbs will appreciate a more constant supply. There's beauty in knowing everything in your house runs while you sleep, while you travel, when you work-- without a single worry.

I love this neighborhood but I wish there weren't such a predictable uproar every time something new happens. For those who consider the new poles to be some kind of violation of their god-given rights, try living without electricity for a month. Or even a week or an hour. Take a trip to any number of countries where they lose electricity without warning every day. When you get home you'll be hugging them ugly poles.