42

He Calls Me “Grandfather”

by Bill Little

Not withstanding the fact that my eighth
grandchild would at any moment fill the
air of the Lions Gate's delivery room with
its new found voice, it mildly annoyed me
to hear someone behind me say "Let
Grandfather have his say," when I tried
unsuccessfully to be recognized by the
Chair at my first AUCE 4 general
meeting.

I turned to see who the wit was. Then I
did a second take. I didn't believe it, but
there he sat, surrounded by youthful
bearded faces. In aroom of faded denim,
muted paisley and dull, rough, homespun
hand-me-downs, he was a contrast: silver
haired, glint eyed, tightly trimmed
mustache, puckered little dour mouth.

His immaculate white polo short was open
at the neck, giving him a studied casual
look. My heckler wore neatly pressed
Bermuda shorts, knee length socks and
highly polished loafers that sported brass
buckles. All that was needed to round out
the picture was the riding crop/monocle
eombination of a retired General.

"Who in hell is that?" I asked.
"That is THE Bill McPhee!"

I didn't know it then, but I had met an
institution: one of seven "I've-been-here-
from-day-one" original recruits still with
the College after nearly ten years of
battle.

"What department?"
"Library, North."

I looked back at him again. He smiled, his
mustache lifting to let his teeth do an
unexpected McClean's toothpaste ad.

"Library," I thought, "there must be more
to him than just that."

AND THERE WAS!

Bill McPhee turned out to be the college
historian, its archivist, a member of the
College Foundation, a continual on-the-
streets P.R. department, self-appointed
father confessor to student, faculty, staff
and administrator...when not _ buying,
selling, renting, borrowing, stealing and
loaning films with everything from
educational to Disney content for the
community and college, and most
important, the "unofficial" photographer
of everything Capilano College stood for.

This book is the result of his camera's
constant vigilanee. All of the pictures in
it, but five, should have his byline. We
owe him a great deal for providing us with
a record no one else had the time or
foresight to give us.

But he still says things such as "Give them
hell, Grandfather," when I'm around. I've
grown used to his humour, however.
Anyway, if I don't make an issue of it,
maybe he'll photograph my retirement
party and/or the arrival of my next eigh
grandkids. Ss

SS re ee — ee eee tSCiti