Village Squire, 1978-08, Page 31Working for pleasure
BY CARMAN SEATON
Warm weather brings out thighs,
sun -burn, travel magazines and the buried
desire of doing something different for
holidays. I was equally smitten last year
and after great debates and persuasion my
husband realized the need to take a special
vacation. (I used the old line; "do it now,
don't wait til we're too old.")
We had to figure out the money angle as.
sure as our spirits were willing, our bank
book was not. We came to the conclusion
that if he worked overtime and I found
some part-time employment we could
possibly manage a 16 day trip to England
in October. With a dream like that to spur
me on. there wasn't a job created, I
couldn't cope with.
Well the news spread and I became
available as a "temporary replacement". I
worked for a short time at a bindery
establishment running a machine that
perpetually jammed when ever my deft
THEATRE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28
go their separate ways. Most of them plan
to continue with theatre arts in school or as
a profession.
The group's sponsor is Phillip McMillan.
head of theatre arts at the Goderich high
school. Leslie said Mr. McMillan is not the
group's artistic director, but rather the
group directs itself.
"We determine as a group when a scene
is rehearsed enough," she explained.
She said Monday's plays provide the
group with an opportunity to perform
improvisation theatre before an audience
and receive response.
"It is like doing a live rehearsal," she
said.
According to Leslie audience turnout has
been good, aspeople like to be entertained
while eating lunch in the park.
She said as far as the group members are
concerned Summerhouse One has been a
"tremendous success."
"It has been both an overwhelming
success and learning experience," said
Leslie. "We have accomplished what we
wanted to accomplish. and we have been
exposed to a "concentrated dose of
theatre."
fingers pushed the" control button.
(Automation is for the birds, I proved it by
that machine alone.) It took the foreman
twice as long clearing it than it would have
taken me stapling by hand.
I was transferred to the sewing room to
construct those gaily coloured pennants
that wave and flutter at all the special
occasions of department stores. I felt at
home there as I was truly experienced in
the art of seamstress. There was one
problem, the capitalists of the business
world had geared the machine to
automation schedule and the slightest
pressure on the motor would send those
banners racing through my fingers,
creating illusions of a horse race with the
favourites in the lead followed much later
by the "has beens".
Well they didn't need my services after
two weeks and I was honestly quite happy.
Who needs a stuffy room to work in?
It was September now and the kids were
back to school so farmers required new
help to finish off the tobacco season. Now
this type of vocation was completely
foreign to me, but after that closed in
feeling at the bindery, I felt this was my
'ine of work. I applied for the job trying to
look as young as possible because it
required endurance as well as speed.
The farmer was rather hard up, so I was
hired on the spot as a stick shaker. The
hours of work started at 7 a.m. and when
the kiln was filled you went home.
Wonderful! I had visions of finishing
around 3, tidying the house, preparing
supper and enjoying the evenings. There
was a snag though and this time I was
totally innocent. Our primers, (the workers
in the field who pick the tobacco) became
disinterested in working. There were five
of them, all friends and from Montreal. I
personally think they became home -sick as
they devoted most of their time to singing
French songs and sitting in the fields
smoking. On chilly mornings we were
presented with used up whisky bottles -gift-
wrapped in tobacco leaves -sent in by one of
the serenaders. Needless to say the work
noticeably declined further.
Well, I didn't get home at 3 p.m., it was
more after 7 and some days 8 p.m. I held
on to the end as I developed a sympathy for
the farmer and besides it was only for a few
more weeks. (I still have a guilt complex
about praying for the frost that would
finish my job.)
Did we have a good holiday in England?
It was so great that my mind is filled with
plans again. I'm even considering a truce
with those automated machines and I can't
wait to see those good looking French boys
who sing so beautifully.
Say to
yourself:
Boy
it's great
to be
in shape.
Wouldn't
it be nice
if you
could
mean it.
410
Pc7RT/C/Pc7[T/O/1
The Canadian movement for personal fitness
VILLAGE SQUIRE/AUGUST 1978. PG. 29.