HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-10-11, Page 20Mottiber
inettrilriCe. Ocitptitiititin
RIA and GREY
TRUST COMPANY SINCE 1889
THE BRUSSELS POST, OCTOBER 11, 1978 19
Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smits), Layman presides at
One of the deepest satisfaetionsin writ in .g
column of this kind is the knowledge that von
are getting into print the angers and
frirstrations of a lot of other people, who
have no recourse for their resentments, and
consequently take them out on the old man
or the old lady.
How do yoll know this? Well. because
pcpple write you letters cheering you on to
further attacks. and other people come up to
you, perfect strangers, shake hands warmly,
and say, ""By the Holy Ole Jum pin! Bill, you
really hit the nail on the head,"
This can be a little disconcerting. as you
are never quite sure which nail they are
referring to. If the congratulator is a woman,
smile weakly and change the subject.
Because sure as guns, though she thought
you were one of nature's noblemen for ;i,our
assault on male chauvinism last week. she'll
turn on you like a snake when she reads
tomorrow's paper, with the column exposing
female chauvinism.
Speaking recently to a class of potential
writers in a creative writing course, I tried to
pass along the personal satisfaction one gets
from this type of personal journalism.
I emphasized the "personal" satisfaction,
because there's a lot more of that involved
than there is of the other kind, financial
satisfaction: Columnists and free-lance
writers have no union working for them -, nor
any professional association, as have
doctors, lawyers, teachers.
-They have only their own talent and wit
and perseverance with which to penetrate
the thick heads and thicker skins of editors
and publishers.
But it's a great feeling when you vent your
wrath, say, about the rapaciousness of
Mechanics, and you are button-holed six
times in the next three days by people with
horror stories about mechanics you can
scarcely- .believe.
Trouble is, they all want you to write
another column about mechanics, and put
some real meat into it. This means, in effect,
that they would happily stand in the wings
and applaud when you, were sued for libel.
Some* readers • would like' you to be
constantly attacking whatever it is that they
don't like. Capitalist friends are aghast when
you refuse to launch an assault on capital
gains taxes. Welfarist friends think you arc a
traitor and a fink when you won't attack the
government for not providing color TV for
everyone on the take:
Lam not by nature an attacker, and I think
there is nothing more boring than a writer of
any kind who tries to make a career of being
a "hard-hitting" journalist.
Once in a while my gently bubbling nature
boils over. Throwing caution and syntax to
the winds, I let my spleen have a field day
of
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Read
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and try to throw some sand in the grease
with' which many aspects of society arc.'
trying to give us a WYNN' job. And that's. OK
of the finest Nrag.r4phs I've ever written, if
mixed metaphors are your bag.
Fair game for the hard-hitter are; garage
mechanics., plumbers, postal workers.
supermarkets, civil servants, and politicians.
Most of them can't hit back, and everybody
hates them, except garage ineehanies and
their wives, plumbers and their wives, etc.
Smaller fry are doctors, lawyers, teachers,.
used Or salesmen. They 4111 squeal. like
dying rabbits when attacked. birt nobody
pays much attention to them except doctors
and their wives, etc. etc,
There are a few areas ;.hat even the
hardest-hitters avoid. .When have you,
lately. read a savage attack on greedy
farmers, callous nurses, or unloving moth-
ers? And yet. there are lots of them around.
One of these days. perhaps, one of these
hard-hitting writers will Muster enough
guts. after about five brandies. to launch an
all-out attack on othe audacity of women.
th in king they're as good as men. Boy, that
fellow will learn what real hard-hitting is all
atxmt.
Personally. I. can't Stay mad at anybody
long enough tobea voice of the people, or a
public watch-dog. or any 'of aif these
obnoxious creatures who try to tell other
people how they should feel.
The only constant in my rage is the blatant
Manipulation of self-seeking politicians who
will twist and warp and wriggle and squirm .
and. bribe for . self-perpetuation in office.
Best examPle of the moment is Torey
government in Ontario, which has called a
totally unnecessary election in that province
through sheer hunger for greater power.
Otherwise. I get a great deal more joy
from' touching the individual life than
inflaming the masses. When I get a letter
from an old lady in hospital, crippled with
arthritis, who has managed to get a chuckle
out of my column, it makes me feel gbod.
Recently, I got a letter from a young Scot
who has immigrated to Canada. Be says: "I
have learned more about Canada and
Canadians through reading your column t han
all the accumulated wisdom from the
Canadian newsmagazines, novels and TV
programs I have absorbed."
Now there is a man with his head screwed
on right. If I. as a newcomer, tried to. get my
impressions of this country Trom • news-
magazines and TV programs, I'd catch the
first boat or plane home.
So, I guess I'll just try to go on talking to
people, getting sore, having. some fun,
looking for sympathy in the war between the
sexes. That's what life is all about, not
plumbers and politicians and othei' horrors
of that ilk.
ANNUAL
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b.14, Lefebvre, Managee
Listowel, Out.
resbytery meeting
Harold Knisley„ Ooderieh.
presided at the opening
meeting of the 1978-79
session of the Huron-Perth.
Presbytery, United Church of
Canada last Tuesday. He is -
the first lay chairman since
Huron and Perth presby-
teries amalgamated ten
years ago.
The- ministerial and. lay
del egates met in the new
_Christian Education wing of
Atwood ,United Church. The
addition 'was . built • almost
entirely by volunteers of the
congregation.
Eight new ministers were
NVele0Med to Huron-Perth:
Rev. Daniel YOurkevich.
Tavistock; Rev. James
Vanslyke; Seafortly.- Rev. •
. Bruce Eaton. Sebringyille;
Rev, Alun Thomas. Barfield:
'Rey. Robert McMullen.
Brucefield: Rev. Roy Bab-
stock, Parkview, St rat ford;
Rev. James • Forsythe. '
Exeter: and Rev. Camilla.
LaRoche, Kirkton.
An enthusiastic report of
• the Presbytery's booth at the
International Plowing Match
revealed that a minimum of
15.000 people viewed the
"Market Place Ministry"
\vhich served 5755 cups of
coffee acid 800 dozen cookies.
The facility was operated
by 238 volunteers headed by
. -chairman Tom Dunn and
secretary Evelyn Dem cry ,
both of Bliley:ale. Rev. Ed.
Baker, Walton was in charge
of the daily program; Mrs.
Myrtle Waikom: Mitchehi.
publicity and- literature;
Gordon Richardson, Clinton.
float; Rev. Bruce Eaton,
Sebringville. missionary
display Clayton Bender,
Listowel, property and. Mrs,
Muriel Cottltes , Belgrave,
LICBWu'dlgtoesttess
for the
undertaking was $2,5001e 1
funded. largely by .the Fres-
bytery and at •LOrielOn. Cort-
feretwe block grant.
Rev. Fred Faist, Mitchell
and Mrs. Cora Thistle, Strat-
jord. in their report of needs
and resonrees indicated
there was a strong concern
about youth work. couples'
clubs, visitation and personal
bible study. The survey
began a year ago. Mrs.
Thistle is the Conference and
National representative for
the "people bank". a source
-of experience and talent.
As a result of its report on
camping facilities by a
HERE'S THE INFORMATION — Kay Johnston
handed out brochures on arthritis to the Brussels
Leos Leos collected for the ,Arthritis Society
on Thursday night. Here is Cheryl Bauer.
special committee headed by
Harold Coade, Mitchell, the
Division of Mission in
Onada was asked to develop
a purpose for the two camps,
in the Presbytery to ensure a
Christian emphasis and
promote leadership develop-
ment._
It was -announced that a
School of Theology would
begin in M itcheP on October
17 for six weeks, I will be led
by Rev. Maurice Boyd and
Rey. Frances Clarke.
London. The UCW Presby-
10.61 has been set for
January 31 in Exeter.
Despite a controversial be-
ginning the court was told
that there are 500 Kerigma
bible study groups across the
church.
ATTENTION FARMERS
We are ready to handle your
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Seed Wheat
is also available
Remember
the Farmers Co-operative
for the best in service
ONTARIO BEAN GROWERS
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Three locations
SEAFORTH 345-2007
"Service and a fair deal is our motto"
LONDON RAN NOCK