Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-10-30, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, October 30, 1991 /11 WM 7.1 Publisher: Jim Beckett News Editor: Adrian Harte Business Manager: Don Smith Composition Manager: Deb Lord Second Class Mall Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: DADA Within 40 miles (85 km.) addressed to non tetter canter addresses 530.00 plus 52.10 O.S.T. Outisde 40 miles (85 km.) or any letter carrier address 530.00 plus 530.00 postage (total 580.00) plus 54.20 O.S.T. Outside Canada 588.00 EDI )R 1.\.1, Get 'em while they're hot Grand Bend's municipal elec- tion is certainly one of the most hotly -contested in the area. Council has been portrayed, mostly unfairly, . as being responsible for the problems the village has experi- enced in past years. Questions asked by voters at Friday evening's candidates meeting clearly in- dicated that the public is looking for a council that will forge ahead to a future free of the division between the tran- sient and permanent populations of the village. Residents, and successful can- didates, may be disappointed with what can be accomplished with the village's meagre budget. Nevertheless, we offer here a brief opinion of the council candidates' per- formances on Friday evening, with which you are free to agree or disagree. Firstly, mayor candidate Todd De- saulniers may have been disappointed with the lack of questions directed his way by the public. He may be wonder- ing how that will translate at the polls. Reeve Bruce Woodley, although seen as a lightning rod for public discontent, may have impressed some with the clear and honest way in which he ex- plained council's shortcomings to deal with pressures that came its way. Mayor candidate Tom Lawson made good use of his abrupt speaking style and came across in a forthright manner. However, his platform that Grand Bend needs to buy itself a new image was worn a little thin by the end of the evening, especially when he ducked the bypass issue by saying the village's im- age was already a bypass. Councillor incumbent Bill Uniac may have been pleased by the fact he re- ceived not accusatory questions, but had a chance to answer well those few he got. Incumbent John McDowell, however, while a good speaker, had a few scratch- ing their heads over his 41 for change on council. This also annoyed the other incumbents. Councillor candidate Ed Fluter was clearly a favourite of the question peri- od, and that should fare him well at the polls. Cam Ivey resisted the temptation to of- fer wild election promises, even though asked for his "vision" of Grand Bend's future. Phil McGuire was only asked a couple of questions and was probably not able to make as good an impression as he wished. The same applies to Don Boy - es and Angelo Maruca. Of course, once elected, the new coun- cil will have but a short while to make a positive impression on the villagers. Due to the boundary adjustment negotia- tions, another election will have to be held in Grand Bend next year to accom- modate the new voters. That point was not brought up on Friday, and many Grand Bend residents are still unaware they will be back at the polls so soon. A.D.H. The Sirens -a Hallowe'en story It was getting dark. I was still at the office. Elizabeth had al- ready called twice. Supper was ready. And she reminded me that I had promised to take the kids trick -or -treating. As I turned the thermostat down - I always do that when I leave the office - I heard a knock on the door. Two shad- owy figures stood there. My of- fice is quite hidden, out of the way, and I was not expecting any Hallowe'en visitors. "I have nothing here to give you," I said. "Come and walk over to the house with me. It's next door. We have treats there." Then I saw that the shadows were not children, but women. Onc said: "We're not here for candy, Pe- ter. We want you to come with us. Now." There was an accent I couldn't place. Eastem Europe? Middle East? Hard to tell. "Do you know me? I certainly don't know who you arc," I said, still suspecting nothing. "I'm Parthenope, and this is Leucosia," the taller woman said. She almost sang the words. i couldn't see her face because she wore a veil. But what eyes she had! Eyes are always the first feature I notice in women. Their eyes tell their story. Parthenopc and Leucosia kept their black eyes fixed on me. They stared. I felt radiation en- tering my brain. I stood motion- less in the open door, just wait- ing for something foreign to penetrate me. I locked the door, and the women took me away. I don't re- member being carried or even touched. One moment I was standing outside my office, and the next moment I was in Para- dise. There was no doubt. I was stretched out on a black divan, dressed in a richly em- -Peter's Point Peter Hesse' broidered garment. The two women squatted next to me on the floor, one on each side, wearing long, flowing white gowns. They were without veils now, and I saw that their faces were beautiful. Ephemeral, un- earthly. Stunning. Parthenopc and Leucosia stood up and fanned me. Only then did I realize the heat. -Once I had become aware of it, I found it unbearable, oppressing. I was burningup with heat. 1 was hotter than I had ever been in a sauna or in the desert. I en- joyed being fanned, but I ached for a cold drink. Before I could ask for one, the women snapped their fingers. A richly omament- ed silver tray appeared and hov- ered in the air next to me. On the tray was a tall, stemmed glass. A stream of clear liquid appeared and filled the glass un- til it overflowed. "What is it?" i asked Leucosia. "Try it. You will like it," she smiled. Her smile flowed from her mouth and entered my body. I put the glass to my lips, care- fiilly tasting the cold drink. It was sweet and refreshing, but I couldn't identify it. Greedily I "Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when they discuss it freely." ... Thomas Macauley Published Each Wednesday Morning st 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1.56 by LW. Eedy Publoatlons Ltd. Telephone 1-53.9-235.1331 0.0.T. 15105210031 swallowed again and emptied the glass. Now Leucosia sang. Quietly at first, then growing louder. Parthenope joined her. The mel- ody was pleasant, and yet it dis- turbed me. It resembled no mu- sic I had ever heard. It was without rhythm. The singing be- came louder, even shrill, until it grew into savage, barbarous screaming. Soon everything around me reverberated and os- cillated. The glass in my hand shattered. Now the voices of the women tumed into eerie wails. They wailed like sirens. Sirens! I suddenly realized who my two companions were. 1 said the word: "Sirens! sirens!" Then I shouted: "Sirens! You are si- rens!" The singing stopped abruptly. The women looked at me in si- lence. Their eyes were like dag-_ gets. -Now they smiled again, but there was sadness in their faces. They let their black hair fall from their heads, and I saw how long it was. it reached down to their feet. The women - the sirens - were graceful and lovely - a treat for my eyes, and yet I was unsatis- fied. I wanted the music again. I needed the music. Now, now. I begged them to sing. And they did. Even louder and wilder than before. In their song I heard the mysterious sounds of the jungle. The bestial roar of tigers. The loathsome hissing of snakes. Their song was as the thunder of hooves on the grassy plains, as the clashing of spears in battle, as the uncontrolled cry of wom- en in ecstasy and the woeful moaning of tortured souls. - to be continued next week - Questions, no answers, part two I don't really know why I like autumn better than all the other seasons combined. Logically, I can tell myself that spring holds all the promise for the coming warm summer months, but in the end I find my- self convinced that the perpetual rains of September and October win me over every time. Perhaps, just perhaps, its the fact that while spring and sum- mer promise warm lazy days, autumn can only foreshadow the dark, cold months ahead. And so each day of sunshine, each day when the rain does not tum to snow or sleet, is a day stolen from winter. A day to be rel- ished and enjoyed, for tomorrow it may freeze. A lot of things like that don't make much sense. Take postal strikes for instance. Everybody, just everybody complains about them. Why? I don't see what leads people to fear being cut off from their malt.-- It's "root as --if anybody in this hemisphere actually writes letters anymore. 1 expect my only communication with my mailbox is much the same as anybody else's. Apart from the occasional magazine all I re- ceive arc bills. Who could moan about being distanced Hold that thought... By Adrian Harte from our bills for a few days or weeks? And yet we do. I gave up a pint of blood the other day. Strangely enough it was my first time as a blood do- nor. It had seemed that any oth- er time the Ausablc Nomads were hosting the clinic in town, I was snuffling and sneezing with some virus or another. This time, I - survived tie flu a few weeks ago and was deemed healthy enough to spare some extra blood. Despite frequent warnings about what I might experience Letter to Editor and the watchful stare of nurses and helpers to see if I would faint, I disappointed them all by remaining conscious. Some jok- ers on the other gurneys were trying to convince me I was turning pale, but I decided to ig- nore them. "Let me know if I turn blue, that's all I ask," 1 thought. Nevertheless, the only effect I imagined was that on my walk home, my shoelaces seemed a little looser than before. Last Wednesday evening I at- tended the awards presentation for Steve and Audrey Skinner at the London Regional Art Gal- lery. While the honoured couple were somewhat surprised that 1 had found out about the award (I have spies) I had to admit to be- ing somewhat impressed that the efforts of two people and a few friends, along with the support of 350 participants, were able to equal and surpass the fundrais- ing power of several businesses and corporations. What is it they say about smal town spirit? Reader concerned about violence To the Editor: i would like to congratulate the writer of a piece in last weeks paper on "Hockey is too violent". I do agree with her a hundred per- cent. Surely there is a way something can be done. I have spent many hours in the arena since our sons played peewee to our grandsons now playing and each year via knee has grown. I would like to thank Sharon for speaking out1) against this violence, somethin; our society is trying hard to dez with. Sincerely Alva Heywooc A hockey grandmf We welcome vow portion. All letters to the editor must be signed and are subject to editing. Deliver to 424 Main Street, or mal! to P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6