If it was at all necessary to have confirmation that Louis Galea is a gentleman of the old school, for all that he is not much older than me (and silly remarks about my age and decrepitude should be left unmade, please) his statement on Wednesday explaining the circumstances of his nomination to the Court of Auditors is confirmation enough and then some.
The simple facts highlight not only the classiness that is innate to Dr Galea but also show up the pettiness of the snarling little terriers who, over the last few days, drew themselves up to their almost infinitely - and consistently - diminutive height and made like that little terrier in the old His Master's Voice logo.
Everyone and his brother queued up to vent some spleen or give expression to some personal bitterness or other or rake over some old coals, ignoring the fact that the rest of us, out here in the real world, are starting to see them as boring little men and women who have taken axe-grinding to new depths.
Clearly, this was not a quid pro quo or a bit of political shystering by the PM, in whose gift such things are, to the eternal chagrin not only of the opposition (whose annoyance is understandable, to be fair) but also of those few on the government benches who don't seem to have quite grasped the idea. This wasn't a cynical move to ensure that Dr Galea doesn't contest the by-election that will be needed when John Dalli takes up his (equally well-deserved) promotion. On the contrary, it was Dr Galea himself who chose not to contest Mr Dalli's seat.
No doubt, the cynics, some of whom militate among Labour's Babes, will say that a spot of nudge, nudge, wink, wink was indulged in, ensuring that the good listener needed few words, if you'll forgive my loose translation from the Italian.
Sadly, such people seem to measure standards of public behaviour against measures that are not necessarily drawn to the standards others may espouse. For types such as these, the easy explanation, one that does not have schemes and conspiracies woven into its fabric, but which can be taken at face value, is not acceptable.
Perhaps it's because a dearth of conspiracies makes boring reading, perhaps it's because whispered politically-charged innuendo is more enjoyable a pastime to indulge in than simply having a bit of a banter about those idiots Chelsea dropping two points to Hull (Hull, I ask you) but the fact remains that each and every move on the political chess board is analysed to death by the commentariat, whether in the coffee shops or on the 'net.
I'm as guilty of enjoying the frisson of a good gossip as much as the next man but a statement like that made by Dr Galea is an excellent reminder that, sometimes, things are just what they seem to be, in this instance, a pretty acceptable crowning of a political career that deserves recognition.
On another note, I'm not sure if Labour are going to have a competition to identify the party's new emblem. If they are, might I suggest they engage someone to draw up the rules in a less fudged manner than that which has characterised Labour's public utterances at the moment?
I only say this out of kindness, wishing to avoid witnessing the sort of protest and counter-protest that plague every contest held in this country, whether it's a tender to supply a new power-station or a contest to identify which pop song will represent the national interest in May (or whenever the Eurovision talent(less) contest takes place) or the exercise of his prerogatives by the PM.
What Labour certainly can't do is restrict the brief to saying "design an emblem that signifies what Labour stands for".
Did you watch Avatar yet? It's worth a look for the superb 3D effects, of course, and the movie is an engaging enough romp, during which you can amuse yourself by identifying the various other films from which its makers filched some inspiration. I spotted Apocalypse Now, Zulu, Alien and Full Metal Jacket, and I'm no movie buff.
You can also have some fun, when the action flags, as it does, making up titles for dissertations that may be submitted by students of cinema as a serious discipline. One that springs to mind is "Pandora: the Australia of the Cosmos?" (inspired by the fact that, apparently, everything that flies, slithers, roams or walks thereon wants to kill you) while another could be "Compare and contrast the methods adopted in the quest for Unobtanium on Pandora with the sensitivity shown by George W. Bush in Iraq".
One could go on, as does the movie, but there's a limit and it's time for bed. Just a quick note for those who need some inspiration for nourishment: go for pizza at Smugglers' in Marsalforn for Sunday lunch in the sun (if the wind is from the right quarter) and for burger at the kebab house on the road between Naxxar and Mosta for a quick supper, while for a more serious meal, worth the slightly longer than usual wait, head for Garam Masala in Msida.
imbocca@gmail.com
www.timesofmalta.com/blogs