Gerald Hankerson, president of the Seattle King County NAACP, just called to yell at me.

He wasn't very happy about my post asking if the regional office is staffed by ghosts, even though I explained that I've been trying to reach them about various race-related issues in the city since I started working here in January.

The NAACP does important work, has been meaningful in my life and to my family, and is usually my go-to place when I want to know what's happening with and to minorities. I both study and write about race, and because of my history with the group, they would be a cool local resource to have. I've been a member of the NAACP and have seen the effectiveness of the organization in every other city I've lived in, so I was curious and surprised when no one in the Seattle office would get back to me, or Anna, or anyone else from our office who called.

After I listened to him yell for a bit I asked why it took him so long to call me back, and Mr. Hankerson said, "Did you REALLY think I was going to call THE STRANGER?!"

Ah, okay.