MEMORIES FROM A BY-GONE ERA, HIJINKS AT COSTCO, AND A SPECIAL SURPRISE
In this issue of the Reader, your eggnog-sodden correspondent reflects on the changes to the craft of journalism that are not necessarily for the better, draws your attention to hijinks at Costco, and throws in a Christmas gift for everyone. Yay!
This week: a 5-minute read
REFLECTIONS ON NICK AND ‘LARGE’
With another holiday season upon us, and yet another year drawing to a close, I suppose it’s natural to reflect on the lives of those people whose lives have had an outsized influence on ours, and on the times in which we and they lived and can no longer find.
One reminder for me came last month at a reception at a downtown hotel in Edmonton. The gathering was in honour of a former colleague, Nick Lees, who died this past June. Like me, Nick was an Edmonton Journal columnist, but to draw any comparison between us beyond that would be like comparing toddlers to giants. Nick was the giant and the people who felt the need to be there that night to honour him were the true measure of that. To be sure, there were other Journal colleagues in the room, but the vast majority had probably never set foot inside our newsroom. They were folks whose life work was immeasurably made better by the work Nick did—work that no one at the newspaper is assigned to do now.
As one eulogist noted, Nick covered community events in the city, events that largely focused on Edmonton’s diverse and philanthropic efforts. Yet he wasn’t just a cheerleader, he was an active participant and organizer, calling on the names in his burgeoning Rolodex to pull together running, cycling, rowing, racing and all sorts of other fundraising events for the benefit of others less fortunate. He was also a charismatic guy, which made it all seem effortless. But it wasn’t. He filled an important role in our city that is poorer today without him.
Another reminder for me came courtesy of vigilant reader Doug McKinnon from Mississauga, Ontario, who forwarded a column from Steve Simmons, the Toronto Sun sports columnist.
Simmons was reflecting on the giants of Canadian sports journalism whose names were once commonplace in our homes but no longer are. There were the sportswriters of my youth who I religiously followed in the Globe and Mail—Scott Young (Neil’s dad), Dick Beddoes, Allan Abel, and Trent Frayne (whose wife, author June Callwood, came from my hometown), and the ones I came to know later, like Terry Jones and Cam Cole here in Edmonton. Simmons called Jones and Cole “the best 1-2 punch in Canadian column-writing.”
I fondly remember the night I spent bending elbows at an Edmonton pub with “Large,” the nickname we fondly employed for Jones. He knew everyone and everything and people revered him for it, for his insights and perspectives, and for the kind of gent he is.
There were others like him across the country, the sort Simmons would meet during Grey Cup week. “There would be a columnist or two from every major city in Canada, a murderers row of sportswriters to hang with, to watch, to listen to, to learn from,” he wrote. “If you ever want to feel like the dumbest kid in the class, hang around with that group.”
As with the case with Lees, there is no longer a place for these legends in the modern newspaper firmament. We are immeasurably poorer for that.
DISTRESS CALL FROM COSTCO
Always vigilant reader David Mailloux of Nanaimo, B.C. brought this photo to our attention after he saw it on the Nanaimo Costco’s website. He noted there was also a response from a fellow shopper: “Text your wife to tell her you’re off to the paint store to choose a new colour for the living room. She’ll be out in two minutes!”
THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR
Here’s a seasonal note once shared by my late friend Harry Stemp. Credit Winston Churchill:
A smile is a sign of joy, a hug is a sign of love, a laugh is a sign of happiness. And a friend like me? Well that’s just a sign of good taste.
MORE ‘DEAR TERRY’ LETTERS
Re ‘’Jenny The Cat Forecasts Titanic’s Fate’ Dec. 15. Hey, Terry, my former painter, Dick the Caulker, forever referred to the pews at church on Sunday as “deckchairs on the Titanic.” I use that quote ALL the time: Seniors’ Tuesday discount day at the local grocer, whenever I encounter a fellow grey-haired shopper, I say “Looks like deck chairs on The Titanic.” Always brings a smile. Lorne Eedy, St. Marys, Ontario
Good morning, most wonderful Terry. Your stories bring much joy to my heart. Jenny the cat and the etymology of eggnog are my favourites today. They get a 10+. The McKenzie brothers are delightful, though it’s scary to think this is the best of Canadian culture. Have a Mary and Joseph Christmas. Adèle Fontaine, Edmonton, Alberta
Re ‘So Where Is The Pizza?’ Nov. 24. Hi Terry. I continue to look forward to the Sunday Reader each week. Perhaps your avid Windsor-area fans have already drawn this to your attention, but there seems to be a huge pizza battle brewing between Windsor and Cornwall. I heard about it on CBC Radio’s As It Happens. You can listen to it here. Advance to 46:30 the (time scale at bottom of screen), though it’s also promoted in the intro. By the way, I remain strictly neutral in this battle since I've tasted neither—presumably my loss, if not my waistline’s. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Don Sancton, Beaconsfield, Quebec
Ed. Note: Thanks, Don. Folks, keep reading and learn how to sample Windsor pizza for yourself.
AND FINALLY …
No shameless plug this week. If you still don’t know what to give Uncle Bob for Christmas, at this point you’re on your own. Instead, we have a gift for you. Through our mysterious and exhaustive contacts, we have managed to secure a bona fide recipe for Windsor pizza. It’s the perfect treat for the holiday season, and best of all, it’s free. If you want a copy, respond to this newsletter, or send an email to mysundayreader@gmail.com.
Remember, if you want to look through past newsletters, just hit the “Archive” tab at the top of this page. See ya next week. / T.
