Why I hired a guy who wasn't old enough to get a rental car.

He looked far across the crowd and there, in the glare of the sunlight, spotted what looked like his dream woman. He sidled up next to her and realized she looked younger than he first thought. As she began to speak, he realized she wasn't everything he was looking for.

"Excuse me, sir," she said to him. "Aren't you the driver's ed instructor at South High? I can't wait to take your class."

A loyal participant in NCEW's e-mail discussion group, I frequently had read Eric Gorman's thoughtful posts regarding an array of editorial issues. And when it came time to look for an editorial page editor, my first stop was the NCEW's jobs-wanted site. There was the name of a fellow who had written award-winning editorials at two dailies, a pretty good prerequisite for an editorialist at our 33,000-circulation daily.

Eric and I had some great discussions on the phone. And kind of like that driver's ed teacher, I thought I'd found a match. When it came time for Eric to interview in Vero Beach, however, I learned he wasn't old enough to get a rental car. In fact, Eric was barely old enough to buy a beer - legally.

Lack of perspective, life experiences, dealing with the public, basic reporting: As editorial writers go, these are key areas where expertise is required. Sure, Eric had some good clips and a good head on his shoulders, but could this youngster overcome these and other shortfalls?

I sought advice near and far. Frank Partsch of the Omaha World-Herald told me of a good experience he had with a young editorialist, who, coincidentally, came from the same university and professor. His well-respected references said that with a good mentor, Eric could do the job. Others told me I was asking for trouble.

Maybe I was, but I had a gut feeling. I liked his aggressiveness and self-confidence, not to mention his writing style. He had a lot of good ideas and a different, youthful perspective. (OK, so I was only 36 at the time.)

Desperate to write

He seemed older than his years. Perhaps the editorship of his college paper was a cause of his premature depreciation of hair. To top it off, this kid seemed desperate to write editorials (we like to run eight local ones a week) and wanted to live, breathe, and die editorials.

So, I figured, he'd make some stupid mistakes, some immature boners and need a periodic kick in the right direction. Maybe I'd have to reel him in from running off in the wrong direction. Perhaps I, an editorialist since the ripe age of 27, needed to feel wanted by someone I could mentor.

Either way it was an unlikely match, but one of which Dolly Levi would be proud: Eric got a job. I got someone I have learned to depend on and respect (even in disagreement) a great deal.

It came at the right place and right time, and Eric complements the editorial board he has helped to formulate. Sometimes, perhaps especially at small papers, it pays to take chances and to give even kids barely old enough to shave their first break.

NCEW member Larry Reisman is editor of the Vero Beach PressJournal in Florida. His e-mail address is [e-mail]