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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-07-09, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, July 9, 1986 Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgama ed 1924 imes - dvocate Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, (Ontario, NOM 150 Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. Phone 519-235-1331 LORNE fEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT Advertising Manager BILL BATTEN Editor HARRY DEVRIES Composition Manager ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor DICK JONGKIND Business Manager SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $25.00 Per year; U.S.A. $65.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' Theatrical oasis While Huron County has enjoyed the distinction of being one of the richest agricultural areas in North America, it has never rated very highly in the area of cultural and entertainment affairs. There's little indication that the agricultural designation will fade, but there's .a growing awareness that the county is gaining rapidly in the area of cultural events. That's due primarily to the energetic work of the many people involved with the two summer theatres located at Grand Bend and Blyth, although it would appear that Huron residents have been slow to take advantage of the excellent entertainment on their doorsteps. The Blyth Theatre and Huron Coun- . try Playhouse are off and running again and both have had their initial offerings • given high praise by the critics and theatre -goers alike. The Grand Bend production of Carousel is undoubtedly the best musical ever staged at the Playhouse and the singing talents displayed in the numerous well-known songs are excellent. Both theatres are also staging pro- ductions that should be on the "must see" list for anyone with even a minor associa- tion with agriculture and rural Ontario. Letter from Wingfield Farm at Playhouse II at Grand Bend is nothing short of hilarious and it's doubtful that you won't recognize* a neighbour (or perhaps yourself) in the one-man show which has delighted audiences from coast to coast and even as far away as Australia.. In Blyth, the season opener of "An- ther Season's Promise" takes a thoughtful, and at times, humorous look at the plight of many farmers and will probably follow other Blyth productions to stages elsewhere. The openings bode well for the season at the two theatres and both deserve the support of area residents. You won't find better entertainment anywhere! Time will tell When Prime Minister Brian Mulroney drastically altered his cabinet this week in an effort to bolster his par- ty's sagging popularity with the elec- torate, he explained that the Tories do big • things well and do some of the small things poorly. In an obvious attempt to ensure that the shuffle would be in the context of one of those big things, he added eight new faces, dropped six and changed 12 jobs. Simple arithmetic is apparently one of the small things the Tories do not do well. Dropping six and adding eight brings two new jobs to a cabinet that is already larger than most and is nearing the point when Mulroney will be able to use a full deck of playing cards to allot the jobs in his shuffles. The Prime Minister has taken some calculated risks in his massive altera- tions. His cabinet has been plagued by a variety of scandals in the past, and ad- ding eight new faces will give the opposi- tion some new backgrounds to search in an effot to find weaknesses. ' However, the major problem in changing 21 jobs is that there is no guarantee that those ministers who were coping capably in their former portfolios will continue to enjoy the same success in new responbilities. In some cases it may be tampering with success and that is always a dangerous move. There is no doubt that the opinion polls indicated some strategical moves were required and the electorate on only hope that the changes will enable their government to do all things better, both big and small. No roller toaster rides Due to the fact the writer's last extended holiday was spent undergoing and recuperating from heart surgery, you can well imagine that an upcoming holi- day trip to the north and west Of thi's country has been given greater anticipation. On Friday I head up to Yellowknife to visit number one son. who almost has a full year under his belt as a resident of the North West 'Territories and a(1 - vises that the choice of one's fashions is secondary 10 the need for some strong mosquito protection. That's welcome neWS, having ripped the crotch out of my good shorts while unloading some hal' last week. The short -sleeved shirts can also stay Its the close) as I search for some jungle attire to meet the challenge of the north's flying va►tt'pires. The trip to Yellowknife has ac- tually been in the planning Mages for more than a decade although I suspect that will not in any way diminish the last-minute packing chores with which most of my outings are marked. When 1 was younger and 'ob- viously more foolish, 1 applied for a job on the Yellowknife newspaper and after some long- distance telephone negotiations. was hired. flans were being made for the change of venue, but a case of cold fetlind a cannier - offer that couldn't he refused altered those plans and the 1, 4 residents of South Huron and North Middlesex were the benefactors. • The thought of what opportuni- ty had been missed (or what great benevolence had been bestowed upon me) have natural- ly crossed my mind on many oc- casions and no doubt played a Batt'n Around ...with IllakThe Editor ............:........................ part in urging Scott to consider a summer job in Yellowknife last year. Parents are often accused of encouraging their offspring to fulfill goals and dreams which their parents held for themselves, and obviously I must plead guil- ty in that regard. In addition, I now have some cheap accommodation and a knowledgeable guide for my journey and it is encouraging to know from his phone call on F'ather's Day that the ice has finally melted. Ilowever. an added expense for the trip may be the acquisition of a watch because he advises that it is difficult to tell whether it's mid-day or midnight as the north enjoys its extra allotment of .4 daylight for the summer months. He's planned one golf outing on a course that closely resembles a giant sand trap and where one uses yellow balls; not so much because of the new golfing fashions, but rather they look less like eggs and ar of as likely to be carted off byOe ravens which infest the north. * * * * . f The second part of the journey will take yours truly to Edmon- ton, where it is assumed, everyone knows the world sheep and wool congress is being staged. This is the first time the event has ever been held in North America, although there must be some question regarding a per- son's intelligence when he decides to take a holiday from the rigors of looking after sheep to become surrounded by the fool things again. However, it promises to be an entertaining and educational event as some 27 breeds of sheep from around the world will be on display. - Edmonton is also staging Klon- dike Days at the same time so there will be several divergent activities. It should be noted that I have already turned down several of- fers from people willing to pay for my admission on the roller coaster at the West Edmonton Mall. See you in a couple of weeks! Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 PubNshed by J.W. Eedy Publications limited THE 'TRADE TALKS ARE. PROGRESSING ATA RECORD PACE --1 E UST SETA RECORD 10R GETTING NOWMERt FAST! Getting caught The moment I saw the police car approaching around the bend, I stepped on the brakes. It's a reflex action. Even when I sit and watch TV, or in a movie theatre, my brake foot shoots for- ward at the sight of a police cruiser or the sound of a siren. But here I was with a load of tired, bored kids in a station - wagon. It was hot, and everybody was rambunctious. The road was monotonous and deserted. Why the speed limit was 80 km an hour. I'll never know. But to tell the truth, I was paying no atten- tion to the speedometer. The car was just doing what came naturally. When - I saw • the flashing red light on the cruiser's roof, I checked and was surpris- ed to see the needle hover around the 100 -mark. I pulled over to the shoulder and resigned myself to the fact that this was going to cost me money. "Why did you stop, Dad- dy?" "I was going too fast, and the police car stopped me." "Why don't you just speed away?" "Would he be able to catch you, Dad?" "Will you have to go to jail, Dad?" "Does he have a gun, Dad?" I waited and faced the law. "Was I going a bit too fast, of- ficer?" "Quite a bit. May I see your driver's licence?" The police officer took his.time in the cruiser, no doubt checking on the computer whether I was a wanted criminal. When he final- ly came back, he handed me a yellow slip called an offence notice, according to which I had been speeding at 102 km an hour in an 80 km zone. There was a "set fine including costs" of $36.75. "Are you familiar with these?" My first inclination was to say: "Of course, I get them every week." But I learned long ago that police officers - as polite as they may be - are not necessari- ly endowed with an excessive sense of humour. "Actually, I haven't had a speeding ticket in about seven or eight years," I said truthfully. "In that case, let me explain your options," the helpful officer ' said. It turned out that I had three of these. I could plead guilty and send my cheque or money order to the court. I could plead guilty and ask for a lesser fine or time to pay because of special cir- cumstances. Or I could plead not guilty and appear in court to "fight" the charge. I thanked my accuser politely for instructing me. What I really wanted to say to him was definitely not advisable. I calculated that the fine just about doubled my cost of this little trip, but I decided to take option 1. "What's an option, Dad?" Alexander wanted to know: "An option is when you don't want to do something at all, but somebody forces you to do it anyway, and he gives you some choices. For instance when you don't fvant to go to bed, and I tell you to do what I say or else. You have an option. Either you go to bed without trouble or you go to bed with trouble." "I don't like options, Dad" "You're learning fast, Alex- ander," I said. "Are you going to pay the policeman some money?" Dun- can asked. "I'm going to send him a cheque," I said, gritting my teeth, "What if you don't?" 1 • read the instructions handed to me by the efficient custodian of the peace. "Unpaid fines shall where ap- plicable result in the suspension of your driver's licence and driv- ing privileges, and in addition, payment may be enforced by im- prisonment or otherwise." It means, I said, that if I don't pay, I won't be able to drive you to swimming lessons or tapdanc- ing lessons or Beavers or the Ftin Fair. They're going to make me walk to work. And if I still don't pay, they'll lock me up in jail. "What's otherwise, Dad?" "Otherwise. means that if I still don't pay, they'll put the thumb screws on me, strap me to the rack, beat me with flaming tor- ches and throw me to the lions." "Don't scare the children with all this nonsense," Elizabeth said. Until now she had kept out of it. She had only looked at me when I was stopped by the police, and she had silently registered the amount of my fine, conver- ting it no doubt to a pair of runn- ing shoes for Alexander, or a case of apple juice with enough left over to buy a week's supply f toilet paper. "Daddy is only kidding," Elizabeth explained. "When we get home, he will write a cheque and sent it to the court, and the whole thing will be settled. There is no reason to worry." But unfortunately there is. I now have three points against me in the Great Book the govern- ment keeps on drivers. For two years I have to behave myself at the wheel before the computer erases these blemishes and restores my record to its former lily-white status. So when you see me creeping along at 80 km an hour on a perfectly straight highway, don't lose your cool. Just pass me like all'the other cars do. And wave a sympathetic hand at the guy who got caught. • Helped the process Last week I mentioned a history teacher who taught me in _secondary school, saying that some of his lessons, though taught in somewhat of an unor- thodox way, have ktuck with me over the years. Steve Evans was, or I should say, is his name. On cold winter mornings I would be walking over to the high school, my coat pulled up around my ears and I would hear this snarling exhaust from a little sports car coming down the street, then a screeching of brakes as he came to a halt beside me to offer me a ride. For me this was a treat because no one else in town that I knew drove an Austin-Heely with a stick shift. (I understand that that transmission met a sud- den end when Steve made a quick • shift from third to fourth which somehow ended up in second gear, but that's another story). Mr. Evans never played favourites with me'even though he sometimes nave me that ride • By the Way by Syd Fletcher to school. In class he'd fix me with that stare that made me wish that I was someplace else and say "Fletcher, what does 'apartheid' mean?" and one had best know the answer. When I talk to a history class now I think back to that par- ticular lesson and use it as an il- lustration. At that point I couldn't see much value in knowing that the word was pronounced 'apart - ate' (something that even the CBC announcers don't always remembers or that it Was the South African policy that kept all races separate with different laws for each but in the light of the news of the troubles in. that country over the last few years it was certainly an approptiate lesson. I try to show students that we accumulate knowledge over the years and hopefully -learn how to put it ; all together in an ap- propriate context somewhere in the future. Steve Evans certain- ly helped me'with that process.