Your letters are worded fairly. In a place or two, I thought of 'relief' where you have 'remedy.' And I thought to mention whatever understanding you have of the 'spirit' of the clear-sidewalk Codes -- 'safe passage,' 'aesthetic peace,' 'unjostled way,' 'no layabout vagrants,' 'no parade primacy,' whatever.

Neither of my thoughts matter. The letters are 'you' and are direct and plain-said. That gets 'er done.

My style might be on one side or the other of directness, I can't decide which.

Maybe punishingly tough, with threats: Your g**d*m paper box is against the law, and it'd be costly for you to recoup whatever matters someone might take into their own hands. Get it out of there!

Or, maybe soft-pedalled sarcastic, with brush-off: Each time I pass that corner it amuses me to recognize you are master of all Portland you survey from your top floor window. Who to bring up, who to take down. Which laws you like, which ones you ignore. And just how you want to place to look. Ads, vices, and consentings -- kinda puts the 'benign' in Boss.

See, Jack, I dither undecided. You get results. Keep us posted.

I'd be happy to contribute a couple of first-class stamps.

I forgot Marcia Dennis, the graffiti cleanup coordinator, on the city letter.