“The Deadline Passed”

They said it plain, they said it clear,
“Update your info by June first, dear.”
A simple task, a line or two,
But days slipped by, as they tend to do.

The emails came with bolded plea,
“Respond today — your name, your key.”
But silence stood where answers lacked,
A ghost in lists once neatly packed.

The calendar turned, June dawned bright,
With summer sun and deadline’s bite.
No word was sent, no form returned,
And so the bridge was quietly burned.

The roll was called — their name not there,
Just vacant space and empty air.
Once proud among the counted few,
Now gone — and no one really knew.

Regret came late, as it often does,
With questions whispered, "Why? Because?"
But rules are rules, and time moves on,
The window closed, the chance was gone.

So mark this tale and heed it well:
A missed reply can toll the bell.
For those who wait or push aside,
May find they're left outside the tide.

“Here’s one for the avgeeks amongst us… did you know that this song by Rush, entitled ‘YYZ’ is also the IATA airport code for Toronto-Pearson International Airport in Canada? The opening rhythm is Y-Y-Z in CW, if you factor in the weighting of the time signature. (10/8) It’s also a pretty cool song!”


Our mailing address is:
Marion County ARES
Attn: Hayden Kaufman, N2HAY
PO Box 787
Silver Springs FL 34489

Contact the Emergency Coordinator via email here.