The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 28, 1996 - B1 ‘ TALKING OUT. LESLIE DICKSON Goodbye Miss Manners N THE INTEREST of making life more entertaining, I'd like to propose a little change in the way people conduct themselves in society. I think we would have a lot more fun in life if we abolished politeness, and good manners, in general, Instead, we would replace these Victorian habits with some zestier, more American ones — more specifically, bluntness. If everyone was completely truthful in their observations and opinions, a lot of the second guessing that goes on now about what someone really means would end. _ And there woulda’t be any euphemisms anymore, either. There is no such thing as motivationally challenged — you’re either lazy or you aren’t. What is the poiat ia mincing words and beating around the bush? To use an already worm phrase — if you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen, | If you can’t live in the ‘real world,’ of which everyone knows Terrace is the centre, then escape by becoming a follower of Timothy Leary, or move to Quebec where no one works and everyone drinks. Don’t Get me wrong. I don’t think truth- . fulness is useful all the time. Lying can be fun, too. It always comes in handy when you want to play a trick on a friend. It is also useful in getting yourself out of some nasty scrapes with your parents, **No.mom, I didn’t crash the car. It was . my friend who moved to Vancouver yester- day, 7 But frankness far outweighs the fun of, lying when it comes to serious matters. If you are a spiteful person, you could get satisfaction in busting your sibling for hav- ing a shaker while your parents were away. Or if there is someone that you’ve always secretly hated, drop the polite front and let them have it. Then there’s the shock value of the truth, “Hey dad, have you seen Cathy’s tat- too?,.. Oh, she didn’t tell you?’’ I’m sure, given the choice, a waitress would rather tell a slimy male to shove it, then ask if he would care for any file,” said his son Glenn Wong. At 54?" he was a man behind The man behind t HE WASN'T the type to seck the limelight. Gim Wong preferred to put forward ideas through others, though he was always ready to lend support Whenever he could. “My dad was never high pro- “‘My dad could never say no to a good cause,”’ said Glenn. “He was famous for that,’’ Gim sponsored a local chil dren’s hockey team and a junior soccer team, Long time family friend Joe Whitney also remembers the re- markable memory Gim had for everyone’s family. *'He always remembered every- one’s kids,’ said Whitney. ‘He took an interest in people. When you went to the restaurant you al- ways felt like you were at home.’* That was a meaningful achieve- ment to Gim, since he worked hard to make a home in Terrace, away from his birthplace in China. Gim was bom in a small town in China in 1931. He suffered the loss of his mother during the Jap- anese invasion, and moved to Canada with his father and step mother in 1951. He finished school in Prince George in 1953, and upon gradu- ation was named class valedic- torian. It was quite an achieve- ment considering Gim couldn't even speak English when he moved to Canada. In his high school yearbook Gim wrote that he liked drawing and travelling, hoped for a busi- ness career and hated snow. Upon graduation he was offered a scholarship, bui Gim turned it down for a chance to become a partner in a restaurant in Hazelton. Soon after Gim married Lena (Oy Chee Chow) in a union that was pre-arranged by elders back in China. Gim must have overcome his dislike for snow, because instead Of fleeing. south he and Lena moved to Terrace in 1963. They opened the restauraat in October that year. Then 15 years later, in 1978, Gim’s Restaurant moved to Park Ave. The restaurant was their passion and the couple worked very hard at it In 1984 Gim became ill and had the scenes. The man with the ideas, He never drew attention to himself.’’ Gim Wong died on July 29, just months away from retirement from the business he created - Gim’s Restaurant. He and his wife Lena had planned a holiday after his retire- meat, and wanted to travel around the world. Tt was a holiday that was a long time coming, said Glenn. “My parents worked very hard,’’ be said. They first opened the restaurant in 1963, and each of their chil- dren was brought up in the kitch- en, aS much as they were at home. - ‘*We ate here. We argued here. We grew up very independent very quick,” said Glenn, ‘“We were restaurant brats.”’ The restaurant was also where Gim’s friends could be assured of finding him, and where the Ter- race Rotary club meetings were held. Gim joined Rotary in 1971, and for 24 years had a i100 per cent at- tendance records at meetings. In 1990 he was given the prestigious Paul Hartis Fellow Award by the Terrace club. “To us, it is one of the greatest ways to recognize a person,’ said Wayne Epp, president of the club at the time. Gim was given the award, he said, ‘‘not sa much for his celebrated achievements but for his continiious work and “dedida:*~~ tion to Rotary.”’ Epp described Gim as depend- able, conscientious and reliable, a man ‘who never refused a task that was requested of him. Gim also couldn't refuse when someone in the community asked for his help. INSIDE SECTION B COMMUNITY CRIS LEYKAUF EVENTS B2 638-7283 he scenes GIM WONG died July 29, leaving behind his wife, four children and many friends in the Terrace Rotary Club and throughout the community, to travel to Vancouver for bypass surgery. He recovered well, uniil July 19 of this year when he took ill at work, and had t to be flown to Vancouver, Then on July 29 he died while still in Vancouver. Funeral ser- vices were held there, and he was buried in a Vancouver graveyard, A memorial service was held for Gim Wong in Terrace on Au- gust 12 in the REM Lee Theatre, with about 250 people in at- tendance. In the eulogy, Wayne Braid promised Gim will not be forgot- len, “It's the end of an era,’’ said son Glenn, Gim’s wife Lena is keeping the feslaurant open for now, but hopes to retire soon, Looking forward to winter WE'VE ALREADY gotten a good idea of how dark and dreary winter will be this year. If you’re wondering how you can liven up those chilly nights, then take a look at Terrace Little more cojyee. lf Theatre’s playbill for the 1996/97 season. And if you're a litde younger, or you hang out with really petty people; nothing’s more fun than busting a backstabber, There are a few drawbacks to being so truth- ful, however. No one will tell you any secrets, but on the good side, no one will unload all their problems onto you, either. They’re offering season tickets at discounted prices to a wide variety of plays, Tn October you'll have a chance to take in two one- act plays in one evening. One’s a comedy about old nah: ' ighschool inta People will think that you love causing con- who meet aptinate several frontations and you may not be invited to as years. The other's a many partics as you would like. A big plus to always speaking your mind is that one thing you will never be called is fake, and people will always know what you're think- ing. But if your purpose in Iife is to be mysterious and demure, then forget it. Waiters and waitresses across the globe would love the change to bluntness. I’m sure, given the choice, a waitress would rather tell a slimy male to shove it, then ask if he would care for any more coffee. Sometimes it seems as though people come into restaurants not to eat, but merely 10 give their server a hard time, Surely these situations should warrant a snide remark and a refusal to bring more coffee. - But the pristine truthfulness should only be saved for those customers who can’t tell time, The only restaurants where it is okay to come in for a bite five minutes before closing is McDonalds — even then, it's only drive-thru. But sometimes being’ truthful is most interest- ing when you say whatever comes lo your mind, as soon as it docs. This involves a little sifting, as some verbal diarrhea is as boring as golf on T.V. If you’re in the right frame of mind, and with good company, though, you and your friends could be laughing for hours, So if this appeals to you, get to work right away to combat the deceit and dishonesty ram- pant in the world. Quit the small talk, say what's on your tind, and we'll start having | some real conversations. BONNIE EDGARS is turning a hobby into a business. She sews recorder cases for school children and so far at least one schoo! has made a large ordar. Now she's hoping other schools will become interested, and she's even considering branching aut to sew gym bags. Business is all sewn up eg melodramatic farce about a murderous scheming barber. In November you'll be teady for laughs, 30 TLT is re-doing a classic comedy called Harvey. It’s set in the 1950s about a man who has a pooka — an animal spirit which is invisible to every- one but himself, If you’re into more serious fare, then you'll want to check out Buried Child, playing in February. This A MENTALLY challenged Ternce woman is getting a chance to turn her hobby into a small business, now that orders are starting to roll in for her unique product. Bonnie Edgars makes fabric covers for recorders — those small musical instruments used by schoolchildren. The 30-year-old carefully sews cach one by hand from colourful cloths donated from a friend’s leftover material. Edgars was helped out with the pro- ject by Northem Networking, a provincial networking group. The group helps io train people who are mentally challenged. Their goal is to get them involved with the workforce. Natasha Wheaton works ‘for North- em. She got the idea for the recorder bags from experience with her own children. “The bags that come with the re- corders are made of cheap vinyl,”’ she says, ‘The ones my children had ripped right away.’ So Wheaton turned Edgars on to the idea, and she’s been rolling with it ever since, Edgars says that she loves to sew so making the bags Is a pleasure. “It’s my hobby,’’ she says. Edgars started her sewing career by helping a friend sew some curtains. She became so excited about it, that she right away started ta save money to buy her own sewing machine, Edgara has since made a pair of panis and ‘she’s taking orders for the tecorder bags. Right now she’s work- ing on an order for 30 from Uplands School. Wheaton thinks that evea more or- ders will start coming in once people realize how nice the bags arc. When school starts again, Edgars will be talking to school music teachers, to see if any of their students would like the bags. She may also take orders for gym bags, decorated with the school’s crest. And Edgars isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. *] want to keep sewing,”’ she says, ‘Tlove it’ | Recorder bags are available for one dollar, For more information call 635- 4479. 1979 Pulitzer Prize winning play explores the inner ten- sions of a rural existence, And in March, TLT is featuring The Watering Place — a drama of black humour which explores the theme of violence in Chica- go, set against the back- ground of the Victnam War. The theatre is offering 10 per cent off its regular ticket prices for these productions and for the dinner theatre, Or If you're looking for a good deal, check out their opening night deal. Tickets are available at Uniglobe Courtesy Travel.