Village Squire, 1973-09, Page 10"She was working in the garden and took a heart
attack."
To Robbie the tern heart attack did, 't mean much.
It was just something that meant somebody was sick.
His grandfather had been sick with one two years earlier.
"Why?" he asked again. Maybe he could find some-
thing out.
"I've told you. She had a heart attack. "
"But what TS a heart attack?"
"Oh Robbie! You ask too many questions. I haven't
got time to explain right now." His mother's voice
sounded impatient. "I have to take these cookies and
the cake over to Mrs. Seymour's daughter and son who
have come to take care of the funeral. Go outside and
play."
Reluctantly he got up and trailed out of the kitchen.
"And don't forget to change your clothes" the voice
followed impatiently after him.
He put his hand on the rail and started up the stairs.
At the top he paused, sighed, then went down the hall
to his room. He changed into a pair of faded jeans and
a sweatshirt, picked up his baseball glove and a sponge
ball off the dresser.
Outside he threw the ball against the brick back wall
of the house. He threw it so it bounced high and he had
to run fast to catch it. He threw it so it skipped along
the grass as it carne back so that he could practice
catching grounders. He hoped to make the team this
spring for the first time.
Fie didn't realize that he had been throwing the ball
harder and harder until it bounded over his head and
rolled all the way to the back fence. As he stooped to
pick up the ball he knew the reason.
Dead!
That wonderful old lady who always was so nice. No
matter what you did she was nice. That tine they had
been playing ball on the street, he'd thrown a wild
pitch and it crashed right through her kitchen window.
At first he was afraid that she would be angry. But he
knew he couldn't just run away so he went up to her
front door and knocked. She looked angry when she
opened the door.
"I'm sonny Mrs. Seymour." Robbie had said "It was
my fault that your window got broken. I'll pay for it
from my allowance."
But when he said that she just smiled.
"Come in and we'll talk about it."
The glass was still all over the kitchen floor. He
helped her pick it up and put it in the garbage. Then
she got out some cookies and she drank coffee while he
had a glass of milk and they talked about what should
be done. She refused to take his allowance but finally
agreed that he should come over for the next two Satur-
day mornings to help her around the house in payment.
Those two Saturdays had been more fun, than week.
There was always cookies and milk ready. The one
morning they cleaned the attic and she gave him an old
pair of roller skates her son had used many years before,
and all sorts of little treasures.
He'd never known her to be angry or grouchy as most
of the other old people were so netimes. Even when
Donny Shaw had stepped on her most prized rose bush
she hadn't bawled him out, only asked him to be more
careful.
But now she was dead.
Why her? Why did all the nice people have to die?
That grouchy old Mr. Sullivan, he'd never die. He'd
just go on being grumpy and chasing all the kids out of
his back yard.
But wonderful Mrs. Seymour - she was dead. She'd
never again
"Robbie, supper's ready. Come now, hurry up. We
haven't got all night."
He bounced the ball against the bricks again and
caught it, then went into the house.
"Wash your hands!" his mother reminded as he set
down at the table.
He got up and went to the kitchen to wash his hands,
Chen iped them and came back to the table. His father
was sitting at the head of the table. He'd gotten home
10 VILLAGE SQUIRE/SEPTEMBER 1973
LET US MAKE YOUR
OLD FURNITURE
BETTER THAN NEW!
"Put Your Upholstering
Hoods in Our Honds"
Free Estimates
-No Obligation
Special attention
to out-of-town orders
SHOP
AT HOME
If you're unable to come
to the showroom, you
may shop in your own
living room. We will
call at your convenience
with fabric samples and
expert decorating counsel.
COMPLETE
REBUILDING
We will strip your set to the bare
frame, renew the foundation,
retie the springs and refinish and
repolish all woodwork. Then the
sides,back and arms are fully
padded, and the entire set cov-
ered in your choice of rich new
decorator fabrics. All work is
done by experts in our shop.
CLARK UPHOL$TERY
Ph. 523-4272 R. Cook, Prop.
Blyth, Ont.
WE HAVE A FREE PICK-UP AND
DELIVERY SERV ICE