Was my first crime story fake news?

In my first newspaper reporting job, each morning I’d stop by the office of Greenville, Mississippi, Police Chief Robert Skinner, who’d read me details of felony crimes I’d dutifully publish in that afternoon’s Delta Democrat-Times.

One morning, Chief said it would be very helpful to him solving the crime if I included one particular item stolen that night – a $4 douchebag – in my story, which I did. My female editors had a fit. After heated debate, they removed the offending word. The story reported “a $4 bag” was stolen.

All afternoon I answered calls from readers, “Where can I buy a $4 bag?”

Previously published in the July 19, 2017, issue of The Atlanta 100.