34 - Sunday, September 1, 1991 - North Shore News The post office may as well be a museum Eleanor THE VINTAGE YEARS WE ELDERS will miss it most. ; It’s been a true staff of comfort and support to us, during wars and courtships, occasions of lingering illness and grievous separation. There were no real alternatives that were neither too expensive nor too clumsy. We counted heavily on the mail. Whether you just hung around the front door waiting for the mailman or bundled up for the trudge down to the post office or the train station, you were antici- pating the longed-for letter. The one you loved had held the Paper, written the words, laid down the thoughts that sprang off the page to you alone. it was like an embrace, like being briefly together again, it was affirmation and connection. Can you get stuff like that out of a FAX machine? But how marvellous that we have FAX machines, and videos and televised reports and couriers who will pedal furiously or drive-and-fly to carry everything from our tender messages to our cold-blooded cheques. Because it’s obvious to all of us that the Post Office has iined up behind the Dodo bird ready for extinction. We know exactly what happen- ed. While all of the rest of us were trying for the stars, the Post Office was vigorously digging its heels in the sand and leaning over backward to avoid progress. Or even Status quo. Sighting of mail carriers, or femai] carriers, is now a matter for comment. In our own small enclave, where once there was a route regularly covered by a sturdy chap with great legs, we now have a succes- sion of ‘‘casuals,’’ assigned from the leftovers pool and never on the same route often enough to establish customer identities. As for a regular schedule of ar- rival, whassat? We the seniors will suffer most, partly because the writing and receiving of letters was a basic function of civilized life, but also because we haven't yet got used to the alternatives. Business loves the FAX, its ac- curacy as opposed to the tele- phone for multilinguistic custom- ers, and its willingness to carry il- lustration as easily as it carries words. But it will be a while be- fore its home installation is as matter-of-fact as the phone hook-up. And what will we do with all those birthday cards we've been stocking up on? Or the Christmas cards we've carefully acquired at Boxing-Day sales? We simply cannot imagine life without those small endearing connections that have kept the weft and the roof from unrav- elling through the years. Mailing the snap-shot of the new grandchild, sending a clipping or a recipe or news of wedding plans, all the vital stuff that car- ties life and love between us. What ever will become of pen pals? Everyone ror-stories of decay. The case papers mailed to across the street, days to be delivered! The failure of the supposedly magic ‘‘code number" that can’t even tell the difference between North Vancouver and West Van- couver. That brought a missive from the National Undeliverable Mail Office in Tranna. Tough beans, customer, ‘‘But be assured that we are constantly striving to improve our processing methods to offer perfect service,"” and here’s your letter back that you thought had been delivered last month, Paying one’s bills by mail de- mands they be sent off at least a week in advance to avoid interest charges. Better to trot around, but a lot of us don’t trot so hot anymore. recite hor- evidence of the of the legal the attorney that took 10 can YOU NAME ‘EM AND YOU COULD So one more fink with real life is struck. We perforce must give over control to the electronic. signal, You no longer get your cheque in your hand, cuddle it, endorse it as only you supposedly could do, apportion it to necessities versus a little fun, and see it plugged into your account with a ‘frisson’’ of pleasure. From now on it becomes a leap of faith. One morg independent act is wrenched from our hands. Funny, really, that we've ac- cepted men on the moon, satellites that arrange our television view- ing, allowing us same-instant observation of a coup in Russia or a picket-line in Vancouver, but we still love to hear the letters slither- ing through the slot. “*Has the mail come yet?” We are obviously still caught in the warp of the past, and hog-tied by memory and accustomed action and deeply grooved reactions. A lot of us still think warmly of the three-cent stamps we slapped on envelopes destined from here to eternity. Multiplying that sim- ple figure 15 times has brought us only an imponderable equation. Out there in the bush where | spent my narrow girlhood the Post Office had an outstandiny profile. Everything we needed, except for groceries, came out of Eaton's mail-order catalogue, our clothes, our Christmas presents, our vio- fins, the saddles for the horses. The order would be made up and confidently maited off and Jo! Mr. Eaton would rush around the store picking out all our desires and preity soon we'd have our whipcord bloomers, or whatever. That little miracle is about to become a chimera. Mail order? Mail disorder. ARDAGH HUNTER TURNER Barristers & Solicitors Personal Injury AFTER HOURS FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION Criminal Matters Only 926-3181 [986-4366 | 9863286 #300-1401 LONSDALE, NORTH VANCOUVER, BC. A trip for 4 on Canadi>n. to Ottawa to see the B.C. Lions hattle it out with the Ottawa 77727 on Sunday, September 8th, 1991. For a chance to win just fill out the entry form below, include your new name for the Ottawa Team and mail ‘to the address below. The top five names will be selected and then at the Seot. 4th game, you the fans will choose the winner! No purchase necessary. Winner must answer a time limited, skill testing question. Some restrictions apply. IONS- OTTAWA iw ada (ROUGH RIDERS) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th, 7:30 PM. B.C. PLACE FREE! Doors open at 4:00 p.m. forthe courtesy of the Lone Star Cafe. Pompoms to first 16,000 fans F B.C.LIONS/CKNW98CARDSHOW! = ‘&& PLUS. Entrance is free with game ticket admission. a * Special price — card show end zone—tickets 5 only $10.00 (ai the gate only). TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER, CALL: 280-4400 |PLUS! You could win atripfortwoto Bangkok with Canadian . No purchase necessary. Winner must answer atime limited, skil testing question. Somerestrictions apply. RE-NAME THE ROUGH RIDERS CONTEST ENTRY FORM: NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: POSTAL CODE: My Ottawa Rough Riders new name is: Please mail to: B.C. Lions, 10605-135th St., Surrey, B.C. V3T 4C8, OR deposit at any Ticketmaster location or at the Lions Den, Capilano Mall, North Vancouver, or at The Lions Den, Surrey Training Facility, or at The Province newspaper, 2250 Granville St., Vancouver.