Letters to the editor, April 28, 2021: Readers weigh in on 'Year One,' the most comprehensive reporting of Canada's COVID-19 response, the social ills caused by capitalism, the portrayal of Jordan Peterson, and more
This 95-year-old man s letter to Maclean s about mail and loneliness sparked multiple pen pals
Some 50 strangers from British Columbia to Nova Scotia mailed letters to Stan Smurthwaite, a strange delight for the WWII vet and retiree Smurthwaite at his home (Photograph by Carlos Osorio)
There is satisfaction in the feel of the paper. The weight of the pen. The rhythm of the longhand. The placement of the stamp.
There is satisfaction in the clank of the mailbox when the postman visits. Then in the sifting: ads, takeout menus, bills and aha, there it is buried treasure. Next, the anticipation of what’s inside. The attempt to recognize the handwriting. Finally, the soft rip of the envelope.