Money, money, money

Durrell - Don't send cash through the mail.

That's a caution that's been around for a long time and advice that is given by any number of concerns, including Canada Post. Practice has shown, however, that cash sent through the mails doesn't always get delivered.

Tell that to Melvin Horwood of Durrell. On Jan. 9 he received quite a shipment. There were coins and paper currency from 18 different countries - many of which he hadn't even heard tell of before. In fact, he doesn't really know what monetary value the whole lot has but he's quite pleased with it and he intends to add them to his already growing collection. The problem, of course, is that the money is not practical in our country (as a so-called "medium of exchange") so although having value in their own right, for the most part they are only negotiable in the countries they represent.

Mr. Horwood for some 25 years now in his own unique way has been entertaining tourists from all over. Sometimes seeing a vehicle stop and a passenger get out to take a photo of the cove across the road and its fishing stages is ample encouragement for Mr. Horwood. He will make straight for the individual to engage him (and whoever else happens to be in the car) in a discussion of the weather, the scenery, their place of origin or any number of topics. The conversation most always - always - includes an invitation for the "once-strangers" to come down to his fishing stage to see a particular item of interest.

Once there, he captivates them with his knowledge of the sea, his fishing experience since he was a boy and his assortment of items that he has arranged in his own style of display.

The fishing stage, of course, is no longer a working venue but he has all the paraphernalia required for fishing by a small boat operator and he explains many of the items and answers the many questions that are posed to him. Mr. Horwood although being a post master in the community for many years always considered himself a fisherman and the yearning still runs in his blood. The fishing stage and the wharf are examples of yesteryear for they were built by him at his expense rather than through a government project.

But the fishing stage for many years has served another purpose for it has become his own personal fishing museum that he loves to share with whoever happens by or anyone whose interest he can capture.

Over the years, tourists have been kind to Mr. Horwood and although he doesn't charge a fee for the visits, many of the visitors stress that he should, and often they leave some token to remind him of their visit. Or they'll send some item that they believe will interest him. Thus, the foreign currency on Jan. 9.

Last September, he explained, he had a visit from a couple from Toronto who were retired and advised that they spend much of their time travelling the world. Seeing some samples of foreign currency on display by Mr. Horwood (left by other tourists), the gentleman suggested he would send additional coins and notes. And he was true to his word. In the mail on Jan. 9 he sent some "leftover" coins, he informed, from his collection.

The currency of various unique shapes, colours and patterns (and each labelled as to the country it represents) came from countries such as Thailand, Portugal, Russia, Zanzibar, Denmark, Panama, Papua, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Turkmenistan - and a sample of the Euro, the currency of the European Common Market countries, was included.

But Mr. Horwood is not a true numismatist (coin collector) as his collection of coins is really random and he has little information other than the currency itself. Neither is the random collection of currency his only interest. On a wall in his store nearby is a collection of ballpoint pens arranged on a netting that he made for the purpose. He places the pens on display in his fishing stage during the summer. He estimated that there were some 300 pens that have been either left with him or sent to him later when the tourists arrived back home.

It all started some three years ago, he explained, when he asked a doctor and his wife from New Jersey to sign his guest book down at the fishing stage. Then Mr. Horwood realized that he didn't have a pen ready, so the doctor suggested he would use his own.

"A special-looking pen," said Mr. Horwood, "but then he forgot to take it with him. I didn't know his address so I couldn't send it to him so I left it on the guest book. Every time afterwards when tourists were about to sign their names I'd tell them to use the doctor's pen - and tell them the story behind it. That prompted many of them to leave a special pen of their own or they'd suggest that they would send one and many did just that. It makes an interesting collection and they come from all over the world so I've gathered them all together and placed them on the netting."

Mr. Horwood advised that tourists are very kind in their comments on his fishing stage and the Twillingate area in general and many indicate that Twillingate was a specific destination that they wished to visit.

"They've proven to be a wonderful bunch of people," said Mr. Horwood, "and are exceptionally enthusiastic in their comments about their visit here."

And he should know. His guest books are full of glowing comments for over the past several years he's entertained thousands of strangers whom he now considers as friends. This past summer, for example, his guest book reflects that 2,310 people paid him a visit.

And he plans to continue his unofficial welcoming project next summer so that tourists from all over will continue to come to the area, learn some of the culture, enjoy their stay and, hopefully, return again or, at least, encourage others to visit.