PRIZES FOR LETTER WRITERS

As the year limps to a close — a year that most of us would prefer to forget — I propose an idea that would enliven this column.

PostBag should hold a contest for “letter of the year — the scribe of the year”.

Prizes could be awarded in several categories: Longest letter, shortest letter, most inspiring letter, most boring letter, letter most likely to be ignored by the powers that be, most abusive letter and so on.

The categories could be determined by the sub-editors who preside over this column.

The prize for the longest letter would undoubtedly go to the spokesman for the Chinese embassy who penned a screed some time ago that went on for half a page. The prize for most prolific letter-writer would go to the ever-voluble Eric Bahrt, with Samanea Saman, Felix Qui, Kuldip Nagi, and David Brown hot on his heels.

Like most of my ideas, this one will probably be rejected by a cruel and insensitive world. Do the editors of the Post possess the originality, the imagination, and the pizzazz to pick it up and run with it?

Ye Olde Bloviator