Finally got around to writing a letter to Off Campus, the magazine for extramural Massey University students in response to a column in their latest issue.
In their June issue they reprinted a letter that I wrote to the first issue of Chaff (the internal students newspaper) for the year, in a column showing as an example of a typical(?) internal students state of mind. The letter to Chaff was simply as followed:
Dear Chaff,
Firetrucks are cool!
alvin
In the September issue of Off Campus a column appeared with a reader offering an explanation as to the meaning of the letter:
"Your happy letter writer alvin was not referring to the big red firetrucks one sees driving around town." 'Firetrucking', male student style, is the practice (not uncommon) of getting so hideously mullocked that the control of the bladder is lost. A wet patch on the front and legs of the trousers ensues. This is the signal that a firetruck has occurred."
My reply to Off Campus:
Dear Off Campus,
I am rather bemused at the explanation offered by one of your readers with respect to my "firetrucks are cool' letter that was reprinted from Chaff in your June issue. The letter was simply intended to be taken at face value and had nothing to do with the inability of drunken rugbyheads to relieve themselves in the proper manner.
I would be interested in at this readers interpretation of one of my other letters to Chaff, "Where have all the invisible smurfs gone?"
alvin
I can't see why anyone (male of female) would think that 'firetrucks are cool' in the sense explained by the Off Campus reader!