ch-line we It’s different, now, and easier on .the shoe-leather. There’s. an advance tele- phone: call, allowing you to hang ‘up, much. less painful © than’ shutting ‘the door on ppointed face of some » mother’ s hungry boy. - But in this case, Jean and ohn. were actually in the market for. magazines. They said OK:to thé phone, and when: the - representative . came to the door they were pleased with his help. “They ‘chose: the: five. mag- azines they. fancied, dismissed the ‘‘free gift’, Gis® there any other kind?), and with -his -help . reviewed, . changed. hands. The. young saw lots of them. Eleanor Godiey THE VINTAGE YEARS So a .cheque for $23 man explained that 18 of _the dollars paid for the first” 10: weeks of the magazines — the extra five was for his Visit: and personal attention. After the 10-week term ex- pired,: Jean and John would pay. $1&° per month for 25 months, and then the re-_ .maining.34 months would "be delivered free of charge. < This: was "March, when he ‘came, spring of this year, -and- delivery: was ‘to start ; July. 1. onthe second or the.third.. “Jean’s: a--relaxed kind of - Jady.’ and -. thought, ©. “Ht, didn’t. Nor did it start “well; the’ post office, you : without. > help;? - know —- Pll give it to the /. middle of the month.” . . Zilch on the fifteenth. "Jean Pines out her con- VHF ‘radio can also says MacBride. “The im- $.. portant thing-is that they be sea- worthy and their skippers register - early. enough © to be assigned a ~ vtask.? Six’ or eight. ‘small inflatables or speedboats -will ‘be needed during © ion. the marathon for rapid response, .and.many small boats will be re- quired ‘for close-to-shore work at _ both ends of the course. B Geer! Stra it Alla ce (SGSA.) -: For: safety, one. escort, boat will equired for each swimmer and_ ddlers. ' Escort. boats ‘ Fetiable motor, a “keeping along the . pe- rimete! and” point-keeping .at the , three-quarter 2 -.On Saturday Marathon participants will meet “jn Sechelt on. Friday, Aug. 21, for: a -pre-marathon logistics briefing.. they’ Pipers. ‘Lagoon, Nanaimo, and then head to Newcastle Island Marine Park for a. salmon barbecue and celebra- tion.: ~ Skippers of volunteer boats will financial support gP ACT HES TAOBS AT AMBLESIDE ‘ PACIFIC RIM SPECIALS -HACIENDA SANDWICH 445-13th Street, West Vancouver _ $595 926-8922 “Oh , cross - to-- just north of. tract, re-read it, and real- ized she’d never received the pay-book, either, that was _part of the deal. Hmmmm. Time to make a phone call. Norpak was the name of the telephone solicitor on Jean’s contract, and below was the name Premium. Books, sharing the same address and phone number, in Vancouver. Also it stated in small print that Premium Books was an affiliate of Maclean-Hunter Publica- tions. Good — ail authority in one convenient clump. But her initial enquiry, -. made to Norpak, opened up the classic. can of worms.” She and John didn’t have a . subscription. - It had been cancelled. She and John were too old. This _ was. what the young woman said, that Norpak had had too much ing out subscriptions, and had made it their policy not to extend. service to these sections of the population... Well now, you know you get old, you know you -do some dumb ‘things. But darn it, you: can still read newspapers and magazines, -even books. You can -also read contracts, and nowhere oa this. dne does. or down. trouble. with amy children and old péople tak- ©: °\} it. say - there’s an age limit. upwards Sunday, August 16, 1992 - North Shore News — i9 Federal office can save time and money © IT HAS overtones of the Dirty Thirties, this story, when young men put a polish on their uppers and went from door to door peddling magazines. Our town was on a railway bran- was issued? When their rep- resentative came to her door he could see the two of therm were in the’ sere and yellow stage. How come he was mute? The person on the plone had no answers. A call to Premium Books just brought the rather uncertain young woman to the phone on the other side of the office. This was a job for the local Federal Consumers and Corporate Affairs Office obviously, and inquiry elicited the view that such a contract as Jean described can only be cancelled by the holder, not the vendor. Also,- the Charter of Rights was being flouted, to say nothing of the standards - of common courtesy. Happy ending. - Jean got 5 S Tre rises. How come: the a cheque had been cashed, as per her bank statement, in March, yet, but no contract - .be'given a free Marathon 92 T- - § ~ shirt and will be. invited to the — ' barbecue and celebration. To volunteer, register or pledge ~ to stop the. : pollution’ of Georgia Strait, call 800-66-KAY. AK. her money back. Im- mediately after a call from Toronto, offering to restore the contract or return the funds, and suggesting without. apology that they nad ‘‘somehow fallen through the cracks.”’ _ Sdme cracks. A courier brought it. But a text-book case for senior folk — one, hang on to-. contracts, you. never -know. Two, pay by cheque so. that you. have proof you’re doubtful: about: any-. thing in the .way of goods . offered, -repairs recom- mended, services too, use” the offices of the Consumer Affairs first, not. after . the fact. |. - The number is 660-2570 GET THE DROP en THE DRIPI * MGNIMULE 12 MONT: RENTAL PERIOD - * NOT APPZICABLE TO EXISTING RENTAL Intermediate and Specia Alzheime Care. . ' Ask about Respite, Convalescent oF * ° Short-Stay Care: Come for a visit’soon” to view our excellent selection of beau tiful new rooms still z available. . : 77 Jamieson Court’ New Westminster, British Columbia V3L 5P8 522-6699 | | “We Core For...The Ons You Care For.” | from the bank. Three, if: -.