Village Squire, 1978-12, Page 28just being near my father. He didn't play with me a lot but there
was a warmth that radiated from him and I loved to just be near
it.
But not tonight. I couldn't ,ear it tonight` I couldn't bear
hearing the people come in and say "Put it on the tab" knowing
that it meant we were getting poorer.
I guess mother must have spotted me missing after nearly an
hour because she came upstairs looking for me.
"What's the matter Willie?"
"Nothing."
"Are you feeling ill?"
"No."
"Then what's the matter? Why aren't you out playing with
Bobby and the others? Why aren't you down in the store? Your
father could use the help this time of year."
I ignored her questions and her hint. We stayed in gloom)
silence with the dusk settling heavily on the village outside the
window. It was nearly dark already inside the room. Now and
then I could hear the shouts from Bobby or one of the others
when someone scored a goal.
1 think she was almost ready to get up and leave when 1 said it
"Mother, are we poor?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"Bobby said we must be poor. That's why you gave me a
present I already had."
"How did he find out about that?" Her voice was sharp.
"He saw the cards last Christmas. before you put them away.
Well, are we?"
Her voice was softer now. "Being poor is a hard thing to
explain. Maybe we're poor compared to some people but we're
rich compared to others. We've got a warm house. We've got
plenty of food to eat. There's plenty of people these days that
don't have those. Sure we're poor compared to some people but
even rich people are poor compared to others. Why even the
Massey family is poor compared to the King."
"Bobby says we're poor because people aren't paying their
bills."
"Bobby should mind his own business." Her Irish pride was
showing again.
"I heard you say the same thing to father last night. Why does.
he let people keep charging things when he knows they can't
pay?"
"You shouldn't be eavesdropping on conversations not meant
for you. It's none of your business."
"Isn't it my business if we're poor? Why does father make us
poor?"
Her voice surprised me now. There was music in it again. sad
music but beautiful. "Your father does it because he is a very
special man. A very loving man. He does what he feels he
must."
"But you were angry with him for doing it. I heard you."
"I was angry because sometimes he lets people take
advantage of him. Sometimes, I think he goes a bit too far ...
always worrying about other people. never about himself. or
even his family. We'll get along, he says, but he doesn't seem to
think that other people will. Some would call him a fool. Some
would say he'll never come to anything in business. Probably he
won't. Maybe we'll go broke but if we do it will be because of his
goodness. I'd rather be poor, married to a good man like your
father, Will, than rich and married to some of the men I know
with their sly, trickery and penny-pinching ways."
"I was ashamed of him this afternoon. I didn't want to be
poor. 1 thought he was making us poor."
"Never be ashamed of your father. He's a special person.
Someday you'll understand even more than today."
"But what about Christmas? Will we really have enough
money for presents?"
"We'll have presents. Money doesn't make Christmas, love
does. We'll manage somehow. That's what your father always
says and we always have ... now, I've got to go finish supper. Go
help your father in the store. It's Christmas Eve and there'll be a
lot of late customers tonight.
26 Village Squire, December 1978
LOWREY
ORGANS
THE NUMBER ONE SELLING NAME ORGAN
LIFE TIME
OF PLEASURE
THE
ULTIMATE GIFT
•Easiest to play of all instruments
•The finest sound around
•Most desired features
CHOOSE NOW - WE HAVE A LAYAWAY PLAN.
A SMALL DEPOSIT WILL HOLD TILL CHRISTMAS.
For personal
service,
best deals
and fast delivery
see or call -
27 Ontario St., Stratford Ph. 273-0213
OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY 10-5:30;
FRIDAY TO 9 P.M.
EVENINGS BY APPOINTMENT