Postcard - Marv Newland

 

Marv Newland - 3 January 2024

Educación in Spanish is not exactly education in English. The Spanish word combines educational knowledge and (most important) manners.

My mother often told me as a little boy, “Hay poca gente fina como nosotros.” Fina translates to “There are few gentle, well-mannered and educated people like us.”

In that más educado 20th century, people who were invited to a party you were giving and could not come, might have sent a card and flowers as a form of apology.

That sort of stuff is long gone.

Here in our Kitsilano narrow streets, a car might be coming towards you. You pull out to the side to let them pass. In Kitsilano most of those drivers wave thankfully as the pass by. But the younger (mostly immigrants) don’t even give you eye contact. It would seem that it is their right for you to have to wait for them.

A few years ago if you were on an outside lane and a bus would signal to be on it, and if I waited, the driver would stick his hand out in thanks. That has disappeared.

I don’t have to go any further and explain manners in politics and religion. I keep my views to myself.

Why all the above?

I know a couple of male friends, Marv Newland and Neil Wedman who not only are well-mannered but they make it a point to always dress well. They wear suits or good jackets, polished shoes and ties. And, of course, a handkerchief in the front jacket pocket.

But there is more. They not only thank you with emails for something you might have done for them but they may send you a thank you card. In case of Newland he sends handwritten postcards. The postcards are one of a kind as he draws them.

I might have processed a roll of film for Newland as I would for any friend but he did send me the lovely postcard you see here.

As my mother would have said, “Son gente fina."