HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1973-05-09, Page 2Sugar and Spice
By Bill Smiley
..„.russels Post
BRUSSELS
ONTAF110
Wednesday, May 9, 1973
-Serving Brussels and the surrounding community
published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels, Ontario
by McLean Bros. Publishers, Limited.
Evelyn Kennedy - Editor Tom Haley - Advertising
Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association.
Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $4.00 a year, Others
$5.00 a year, Single Copies 10 cents each.
Second class mail Registration No. 0562.
Telephone 887-6641.
,,„„441191 fiul~d
—
ARt GAreS
ESTABLISHED
len
Everybody a Swimmer?
In a community which long has
been aware of the advantages of
learning to swim the suggestion which
.Minister of Agriculture Wm.Stewart
made 'in 'St. Marys recently perhaps
is unnecessary.
"Everybody should be able to
swim" he is reported-as saying.
In Brussels of course, because of
the co-operation of the Lions Club
and Legion who make possible lessons
at the Seaforth Lions pool, most
children have learned to swim.
Commenting, on the Minister's
statement the St. Marys Journal
Argus says this: -
"At first glance this appears to
be a rather impossible suggestion
but in this day and age of easy
transportation and plenty of swim
facilities plus available instruc-
tion, it is not so far "out ,on a
limb" as it appears. Indeed,, we.
believe the Minister is placing
emphasis on a very worthwhile idea.
"Is there really any reason why
every boy and girl should not be-
come a swimmer? We certainly do not
say that every youngster shbuld --
reach championship calibre but it is'
quite possible that, if legislation
could be drawn up with the proper
teeth and the use of available fac-
ilities made mandatory, every young-
ster could least be a capable
swimmer. The annual parade of drown-
ing deaths in this and other provin-
ces could be cut, almost to the point
of diSappearance, if everyone, par-
ticularly youth, was forced to be-
come a qualified swimmer.
"Fear of the water could possibly
be best overcome by the' fear of a
fine for non-swimmers. Just'how
this end could be accomplished is
something for recreation and govern-
ment experts to work out but the idea
of "Swim whether you want to or not"
has merits which make the matter
worthy of pursuit in high' places.'
"The city says T overpaid traffic tickets so I have a
'Violation coming to Me,"
we're p anning to go to England this
summer. Last summer we planned to go
to the Maritimes, Last winter we planned
to go to Barbados. Two summers ago it
was a trip across Canada. The plans are
great but the performance is nil.
I'm not sure whose fault it is that the
Smileys never get off the ground. I
blame my wife. She hates getting ready
for a trip. I sometimes think she de-
liberately broke her ankle last summer so
she wouldn't have to getready.
She, naturally, blames me, because I
don't get everything laid on in time. She
may have a point. I don't like super
organization. I like to just take off and
wind up wherever the fates take me, with
as little baggage as possible. She likes
to know where she's going to lay her
head at night, and likes to have "sortie-
thing decent" to wear on every occasion
that might present itself: That means three
suitcases.
It also poeS a big problem for 'this
summer. .1 just know that when the Queen
and Phil hear We're going tO be in the
U.K. there'll be an invitatiot• of some sort'
waiting for us at the Dorchester or the
Savoy or the Dirty Duck.
Trouble IS; what sort of affair will
she invite us to? If it's a lawn party,
that means for my Old lady a long summer
dress, big hat, white gloves: • And for
me a tough decision = Whether to Wear my
white sport shirt or my blue one.
Bid what if it's for dinner at the
Palace, as it probably Will be? That'S
another kettle of fish and chips. It would
mean a dinner dress and different Shoes
for the boss, I could manage a black
tie OVer thy white sport shirt and if it
Was extra formal ; I'd pin my Canadian
Spain mewl tO my shirt,
I can just hear the dinner conversation,
a bit fluty and high bred; bUt Sort of
'chiuririlyo Rather 'like the pope trying td
draw out the parish priest
THE QUEEN. "HOW delithifill of you
and yOnk Char ining' Wife to (IOUs the honour
of coming to dinner, Have yen been to
England before; Mr, uh wiley~"
ME'. "Yes,, youe notiotit ; uh ; your
Worship; uh, Queen; t fought for your'
Old Man in the last war. , Guess you Wete
just, a
dre'A ow, Ow,
yes, see„ Your American gent. is
SOW refreShinto An you were one Of:thee&
gallant lads from the' detninteng Who.
fought for my father, King George
the Sixth?"
ME. "Just a minute, Queen. That's
no American accent. It's Canadian. And
they told me' his name was Mackenzie
King, not whatever you said."
QUEEN. "How quaint. And you were
decorated, I see. That must be a medal
for outstanding valour pinned to your uh -
I say, that is a striking,' uh - shirt?"
THE DUKE. "It's a ruddy sport
shirt, Elizabeth. They all wear them."
ME. "Oh, no Queen. They gave
these, out with the rations. All you had
to do was be conned into joining up."
THE QUEEN. "Conned? Rations? Yes,
Of course. Now, we'd like 'you to have a
wonderful time • while you're here. It's
lovely this time Of year in Scotland. Right
up at the top. As far as you can go."
ME. "Matter of 'fact, Queen; we
thought we'd stick around London a while
and get better acquainted. Maybe me and
Phil • here could do a couple of pub-
crawls, while yoU girls got together and
talked abOut your rotten kids and stuff."
THE QUEEN. "Ow; NOW, I mean ow,
yes. That would have been lovely. But
ectually, we must OW to Canadar this
sumMer. Frightful bore, but there it
is.''
ME. "Yep, you must get sick of having
tO, be polite to ordinary people, And it's
a brute for heat over there in the stitnniet.
• Especially on the prattlee."
THE QUEEN. "Quite. And. now, if
there'S any little thing my husband and
I could de; please dOn't hegitatei".
ME. let's see, Yoti4 re the '
Queen of Canada. Right? 'Right, Well;
look, There's this school board ; See?
Pm a teather, y'know. if you'd just Write
them a nasty letter. Why; j've got one
Grade 9 class with 38 in it. Just tell
them to lay off persecuting me, Oh;
yeah, And Would you call our neighbours,
the baltympies, and make `ante they're
watering our lawn;?"
MY WIFE, -'(Silently and under the
table, Kickj kick.'Kikdo)
Anywa.yi Stickitighatti Palade won't he
any probleino Bid What ae We 'going to
wear When We duck over id llottherit
Itelind to gee Uncle Prank who has 'asked
us out in his fishing beatl
I think have my wife dress in
greed, and wear something in orange.
At leagt One of he might survive.