Anne Landman's Collection
I Write to You Because I Have Tried Everything Else and Can Get No Assistance From Anyone Else.
Abstract
Letter to RJR from a woman pleading for the only Christmas present her partially blind, 16 year old son wants: a Joe Camel lighted pool table sign. Her son was blinded in one eye by a rubber band.
Fields
- Quotes
I write to you because I have tried everything else and can get no assistance from anyone else. If you can't (or won't) help me, then I'm sure no one can. I have a 16 1/2 year-old son who is on the honor roll, has a part-time job, doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink, has never been in trouble with the law and does all the things he is supposed to do to be a good, successful person in life. Last Christmas another boy on the school bus blinded my son in his right eye by shooting him at close range with a large rubber band. My son went instantly blind in his right eye and spent two weeks in hospitals having surgery to try to save his sight. He has spent the time since going regularly to doctors. My son is as good a teenager as anyone could hope for in a child and I've taught him to earn what he wants and to treat others as he would like to be treated. Now, to the point. The only thing my son asked for this Christmas was a lighted Camel Joe sign. I have visited several establishments that have the long, rectangular signs with Camel Joe leaning over a pool table playing pool and have offered to buy the sign from them at any amount they wanted. All of them said "no." I have contacted several Camel distributors and employees of Camel and they all say that it is just not allowed for someone to buy one of your signs. Mr. Johnston, I think that in view of the fact that my son has done everything I have asked of him in his lifetime, the least I should be able to do for him is buy the one Christmas present he wants - a lighted Camel pool table sign. I am not asking that you give it to me free. I am more than willing to pay for it. However, I do not understand the lack of cooperation of your employees when the entire purpose of having Camel Joe is public relations and to improve sales I would very much appreciate it if you would take time from your busy schedule to advise me why your company would want to keep people from buying something that is so obviously a PR item? Also, please explain to me how to tell my son that all the good things he has done in his short life are not important enough for him to have earned one of your signs as a Christmas present. Thank you for your time and courtesy. I look forward to a response at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely frustrated, Mrs. Sandra G. Root
- Company
- R.J. Reynolds
- Author
- Root, Sandra G.
- Recipient
- Johnston, James Wesley (CEO of RJR c. 1989-95)CEO of RJR domestic, c. 1989
Document Images
