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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1973-12-20, Page 15Crossroads the we eekly 101.41414 in your Liossnvel Banner. Wingbent Advance - Time* and %Mild Foteet Code- derate is read by eteeee people es the -heoreand of Mideretern Ontario, Based on 3.5 readers in each of e.3400 hoinesei • 4p. ChrQatmow fictic.n by Doug McCann 4 Not for two nickels would Billy go under that Mistletoe.' There she was, Minnie Ahern*- " .thy„ beckoning her finger ,and . standing underthat stuff . that cpeople make up the silly. rules about. MN Enough to make guy want to quit school, , even if he only in the second grade. Great. There is"the teacher. At least she -shows up in the right places some ..of the time. No k she'll set Minnie straight and can all get back to decerating,,, tree, . What?. Now the teacher is sa 'log get unclerthe No way! Be a' sport she tet$ 'Humph, kissing is no spOrt, least not for guys, But Billy swallowed his pride. and shuffled Omar& fie stuck k out his cheek andclosed.hismes, \ All the guys m were,, snic He'd get them at reeess.. ! • The cheek was ignored 404 Minnie Mabel Abernathy biggeste,mtishiest, wettest, slop plot kiss never treated righ °Sulaek dakon Pities mouth. The 'laughter was unbearable. He lel biScheeksiburning and he wanted - to punch Minnie in the ehoulcle jight there under the mistletoe ilit he •didn't. • Instead; he ran out through the cloakroom, down the seven ce- • ment steps and hid behind Mr Green's greenhouse. show them," he Said out lout But only e *Munk' high above in the trees 14404. and ',enly then: betWeen.Modtlifuls Of 0$46titiniai," he hiilfter4 Arritrirrij-10014.0Kiitit' when. you ave lo kiss girls, never had to kissihem last yeae Published every week in The Listowel Banner, The Winghom Advance.Times and The Mount Forest Confederate by Wenger Bros, Limited. ---Crofisroads—December given a scornful look. • • "Are you not satisfied with my colors, tyke?" he glared at the boy. Billy was SO. surprised he couldn't speak.- "So, you think I am so funny looking you dare not look nie in e eye. Is that it? . Billy shook his head antman, • aged to sputter, "Oh no, sir. I think you are very handa9m0 e^ The leader shouted so loud his face turned red, No! No, no, no, No! Ile threw down his baton and stamped his huge red feet up and down on the ground until Billy was sure the world, or whatever this place was, would cave in. "Where have you been young- Ster, that you have never heard of Wizzledale?" The bandleader's, tone strongly indicated that he '” oe , hire off.. Billy thought paint couldn't do On the, way to the. pink paint the trick. It would wash 'off in factory Iliny saw some of the time. strangest colors; The apple or. "By thinking a certain cOlorio " Chards COntalhed red •and, green she said. "If I think reel I Will be apples, naturally enough, but he red. It's all in the mind, That's . spied a crew dressed in green where colors are." suits, painting grapes, oranges, "Then why aren't you red?', bananas and all sorts of fruit red, She Pondered 'a moment, "Be. Watermelons were left untouched cause others think Of me as blue because therwere an acceptable and I'M too busy thinkingibout w .. . green, but many .,were split open them thinking about me to think . . we revealing the redness these about being red, I OtilY. see red, SW people loved soinuch, .., but cannot be red." ' . • . 'lie was to findoutlater, how. , Ile thought about that, but. Ye. ever, that wiiziedaiers' 1014 could only think blue. . ' nothing; . , , "You see," • she _pointed her s. The two musicians carried , finger at him. \ 17ou're thinking At , to the door of the pink paint ;about blue because \you're think - factory, which Was, Of course,- ing about tne.'," Pink. and turneddbitn over to the . "How do you know' that?" red guards„, ' "Becanse'yOu are turning blue He was led dowiter pink and red with envy. You ;want to be • blue hallway whickleemingly had no like me." end to it.After, a long Walk they "I do. not," he yelled. Then, came to a -room with a• doorway Without realizing what his tongue shaped iike,s paint brush. ,The was about to do he blurted, "I do •guards rudely shoved him inside not want to be blue, like you, I and slammed the pink bars shut, want to be red, so there' He as - He • was so „bewildered he ,tonished himself. ' t . A ' . 1,. ' , "Psst, 'tyke," ',11es tebught lie:,: beamed. "Then We're .both the /, e f te - ' : • ' heard ,a voice. :"Tyke". He. dicle,same." r . ..e.. k. A hear something. He twirled:. ' "No we aren't." „Billy . was in - around and 'peeked out through i- ,,,,dignant at the suggestion. "I," he / e i t ' I ,the bars, but saw no one. ' , e ..boldly announced, "am a„crearny Suddenly a girl, dressed in.bltie,', pink while you are hlue." . .4 ?; , couldn't cry so he just sat there,,, • "Good," the girl's face Why the changes? I. likea Christmas just the way it was." He busied himself with thinking , of nasty ways to get back at Min- nie and the guys, maybe even the teacher if he could get away with • it. He would wait until they all came out looking for him and say they were sorry. lkyg until then would he so back. .The teacher and children didn't come, however, and ,it was get- ting on into the afternoon. Billy felt drowsy and couldn't fight off the sleep. Soon he couldn't hear, the concerned palls of his class- mates and teacher and Christ- mas dreams entered his mind's' eye in splendid parade formation. # Vibrant purples and oranges and yellows swirled throughout the sky, which appeared to be so close Billy was tempted to reech out and touch it. The band leader resembl a fluffy marshmallow, bouncing along with a great sense of pride. Retina him marched at least a thousand musicians playing polished brass horns and beating Cream colored drums with red and black sticks. The leader was dressed in red. His hat was red. His boots were • red and even his moustache was red. Billy squinted and stood on his tiptoes to see what color the bandleader's hair was but he was 4 appeared from bebindL the bars,: "But we both want to be red, She was a stout gir) and yet she - therefore . we are the same." had been hiding behind one of the fThere was no arguing with a girl, skinny bare! , * e, he thought. She reminded him of .16 Billy rubbed his eyes. *knee, with her fatm?et,h stuck , :11P.k,J4.w4th‘Seertelo,d. “Ar . you seeing red?" she Olt underneath that gr ' j -4* .1 "No,"he replied. t are yOu'dOing 'in here?"' "Then, why,' do you rub yo • eyes?" .1 , "How. . .How did yeti hide'be• hind those bars?" "Like this." And she was gone! Billy ran.to the door and peak- ed around every single bar but she wasn't there. He turned to sit. down on the bench and there she was: / "I'll show them," he •said, out loud, But only a chipmunk high above in the trees listened and only then between mouthfuls of acrons. Drawing by -Adam Polasz, a Grade 8 student at St. Mary's Separate School, telotint Forest. dressed in red. • The bandleader softened his glare then turned to his musi- cians. He roared with hellylaugh- . ter. "He thinks I am handsonee." A thousand different laughs as- saulted the air. "Tyke," the bandleader walked toward Billy. "Do you not know that red is ugly?" He bellowed out the last word, as though adding to its meaning. "Ugly?" Billy asked, "Then why do you dress in red? Aren't you eqebrating Christmas?" More laughter broke loose from the band, but the leader did not laugh. He frowned and roared. "Christmas! There is no ehrist- mas in Wizzledale. It is forbid- den. That is why we wear red, to scare away the Christmas spirit." Billy stared in disbelief and tried to imagine a world without Christmas. There couldn't be such a world. Where was this anyway? "Sir, did you say Drizzlevale?" "Drizzlevale. DriZzlevale!" VP wanted an answer, and NOW. Billy shyly spoke up, "I : . .I've been- home, sir." ' "Home," quizzed the leader. ,"What, in the name of scarlet is that?" •"Why, that is where I live. That. is where my parents 'ar" • The leader wrenched his face up into hundreds of lines. "What are parents?" ' Billy could not believe the lead- er had never heard of parents and declined in offering an explana- tion, because he was sure they had never heard of mothers and fathers either. Where was ,he, anyway? He knew enough not to ask that question again. Suddenly the leader ordered, "Teke him to the pink paint factory." Two of his men laid down their instruments and came forward. "Why not to the red paint factory, leader?" they asked. ' "Because he isn't ready to become a proper Wizzledaler, yet," was the answer. They seized Billy and carried * 4 do do 2,4" n 4110•0•%004...14.,0062.11*.or.. 44, • • •••*,1"• P • 4 vlIP tr.'s 41),-.." 4', ,r• lk 004',410efrwir 0.'8* ; • fo, 400 •11 •,•4.' a I - tAll' 4'4. °Al 0 go., 'ir•bill0:01:1:41 'eta 'Le " ,074-41.4,4 SP • 4.7 v e ". op • '1'6 0.4.041111104°, * • frf, ,,011.4.0 •,0 0.4 •:;,. 1,1 P ,;P iveN,i. .0,40 ,.- coo ‘01 • • AI I I .0 ft 41 OP orif /fog o * I • I # fr* " • * 1 0' The bandleader resembled a fluffy marshmallow bouncing along with great pride. Drawing by btark Forsehner, Grade 8, St. Mary's Separate School, Mount Forest. The bandleader blared and quickly unlocked the jail door.' "How did you get ie?" he de- manded. "The pink boy let me in," little - girl blue replied. The leader's harsh glare fixed upon the boy.. "Are you ready to learn Wizzledale's color scheme?" • ,, people'make up the; silly -rules about; Drawl4g by Paul stack Ou•Si:: Mary's Separate TOeres,he was, Minnie Abernathy, beckoning her finger arsctstanclin9 under that stuff hat , ' School.. 'Mount Forest.- . . •, „ • • . • , leader swung around and haugh- .smacks all-over their fates and , The halo orj kept pushing and • tily made his exit. The two child- then . . .THEN, they can hardly pushing... . , ' . • ren hastened behind.him. • . I Wait until the New Year begins so "No "•he Cried "No. . ." • . .• They were led down the hall they can ' be nasty' with, each ' "Billy, Billy. Wake up, lililly'%. into a huge red room. The only , other. -Mistletoe makes people , ,ife lot. himself being nudged. ..' thing- in ,the room ..was a given. nice and friendly. Something . , IlerubbeelhiseYeeand looked uP. Christmas • tree, turned upside ' which they are reit and never will - :There stood Minnie Mabel Aber - down and hanging from the cell- be." ' '‘ . ' nathy. ' ° ' • . ing. e • • ' Billy was relieved. No mistle- s -•"We've been looking all Over Billy pointed to it and asked the • toe. Boy,. this is better than those for you, Billy." The teacher and ' ' bandleader why it was in Such a -dumb school Christmas parties. his friends stood behind her. peculiar poeition. . .. ' "NOW, then if you are finished . ' .• . - • "Because It represents the up- asking your ridiculous questions, • , "I'm Sorry. / made you kiss me s . side-downess Of Christmas, that's ' may we begin?" The leader mistletoe, ' y, , why. t a symbol of the one pushed the two would-be iNieele- -never 40 it Again, if. you don't° time of the year when people try. dalerS Mttethe centre of the 'moat. •- want to." , i- , • ' . to be so nice to eactiOthersepuyn, 'quit, what will we•do?" asked . ' "Oh but1de 14 _ Ile *ted° they 0,ti eitilend.apenlittig, • ,:ifilly; ' \ ' .' e.-, ,. _....-Lfeet. • , , eeee . ' , bliey realil if when Other* fell* Same thiniiiiki4one door' --ilveriotia . - have nothing. - They bniiip into . at Christmas time. Only more this sudden change in each other, curse each other and, honestly. Push, shove. Be Mean,. . ' -_, _ ' ,_ •' - are generally, upside down With- ugly and nasty in thei room with -'Well; isn't that what ,Christ.- out their wits about them at the upside down- Christmas Trie . ' mas and mistletoe and Presents Christmas time. And; that, tyke, The one who is the most honest, ' and Santa Claus are for?" he . is why that tree hangs as it does. and above all, the pushiest, will asked- • "Aren't there ways Of It symbolizes what •Wizzledalers be Wizzledale's newest citizen. showing .we all Care about each . don't wane!, the leader pro- New, begin. e • Isn't thanadt,. what our s feeolloawbottmet?e! ...... . claimed. \ , Suddenly, little .girl '. blue "Then how do you, celebrate gathered all of her strength up The bandleader's "voice tame: • and pushed Bllly' as hard as she back to, him. 'Mistletoe makes could. He fell, to the floor and people nice and .friendly,-.SOMe-, ' prise. up at her with great sur- t never will .th,, they are not an. d "But, but. . . .this is Christ- "The bandleader •is wrong.. mas," he pleaded. "We shouldn't Don't you tee? We are nice , be acting like this." people." We are friendly. The "Get up, tyke," ordered the world is a good plate to live and ' leader, "And SHOVE HER -. Wizzledalers are WRONG. Well, BACK." .._ ' aren't theeYa; the teacher .tel ' Billy was no longer having fun. Hilly's' other friends looked per - He tried to get up and run out of Plexed. They hadn't the slightest , pushed ehheugd hie mr,ex,11‘)areookmcie, down. about, the girl sidbeeautofwhweht what ithhewwizeaseditalkingEders "Please, stop," he begged. or whatever he said. "This isn't right." Then Billy thought of some - "Push," roared the leader. thing he was sure his friends "Push." would understand. He puckered :`,Npou,ssilto,p." SHOVE, GET up his lips. "Go ahead, Minnie. Gimme a kiss." EVEN!" The leader's terrible "Billy!" The teacher looked orders echoed throughout the upset. "Come on children you had TOOM." Please turn to Page 2 ° • • , He thought he heard a voice, "Tyke". He did hear a voice. He twirled around and peeked out through the bars but saw no one. Drawing by Cindy Mc Eachnie of Mount Forest Pub- lic School. Sensing from her smile that she was friendly Billy inched ferward and sat lightly on the very edge of the bench. His curiositk, was so aroused he couldn't help but stare at her. ' "You just got here, didn't you?" she eeked. He nodded. "Are you going to be a Wizzle- daler, too?" "What does a Wizzledaler have to do?" "Be red of course," she replied. "And you are already light pink se you haven't got far to go. But, 111 be here for a long time, be- cause I'm so blue And I've not at least three more color changes to go before / ein an official Wizzledaler." "How will you change cOlors?" By now Billy had learned that the leader did not like. negative replies or hesitance. He liked prompt answers. "Yes, sure," he nodded. ' "Red is the superior color. Pink is getting there. And green is ac- ceptable only to provide a contrast to the red, thereby en- hancing is splendor. Any other colors in this land are barely tolerated." His eyes darted to the little girl. "Unless they desire to become red. Thee thakiedlope." Without waiting to be asked little girl blue offered, "I want to be red, very much. I do." "And you?" The leader looked at Billy.' " "Yes, sir. I do too." If she could be red, he thought, so could he. "Then, let us begin." The Christmas?" Billy quizzed. "We,don't." The leader seemed outregere "Our main holiday of the year' is based on the preven- tion of the Christmas spirit. While others push and shove in the name of Christmas, we do it in the name of Christmas preven- tion. It's much mOre honest that way. We hang red and green ob- jects throughout the land to . . ." Billy interrupted. "Do you hang up mistletoe?" He made a sour face. "Mistletoe?" The leader looked incredulous. "That„" he roared, "is the one thing we hate most. People make complete fools of themselves under that hideous little piece of vegetation." His scowl deepened. "They give each other tiny pecks and big sloppy Suddenly, a girl dressed in blue appeared from behind the bars. Drawing by Heather Greenwood of Mount Forest Public School.