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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-08-19, Page 4PAGE 4 —GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 19. 1987 Gassing up at Ed's Shell is normally an uneventful, staid chore. Cruise in beside a vacant pump, remove the nozzle, flip the switch, unscrew the gas cap, insert the nozzle and pump. Despite my limited abilities, I have successfully completed the venture several times on my own. Occasionally, I have reread the instructions just for safe- ty sake, but the sequence of events is pretty much committed to memory. The station was relatively busy this muggy, Monday afternoon and I watched - out of general interest as several vehicles bearing blue Michigan license plates pull- ed in around me. As a vehicle with two extremely healthy young ladies parked nearby, 1 watched with greater interest while try- ing not to exceed my $5 limit on the unleaded brand. My interest may have unknowingly 6 111111111111111111111111111111111111111.1111111101111111 DAVE SYKES slipped into a fixed, open-mouthed stare as the healthy young ladies got out of the vehicle. It must be stated here une- quivocally that Monday was my first day at work after a two-week vacation and frolic, rest and inactivity had, basically, reduced my normally sharp cerebral parts to mush. That I happened to be drooling and staring by the gasoline pump had more to do with my return from holidays than the physical attributes of the young ladies. Anyway, that's my assessment of the situation and I'm sticking to that meagre excuse. But then, one of the young ladies ap- proached with a broad smile that reduced this agent to mere Jello. It caught me off guard and in mid drool. As she drew close, I had to wonder if she was going to plant a deft knee in a vital area in retaliation for those stolen, furtive glances. My fears were unfounded and my life, I reasoned, was not in any real danger. "Excuse me," she offered while flipp- ing up her sunglasses. "But, now I feel really silly, but would mind if I was, well, 'perfectly rude?" "Ohhhhhhh, ohhhhhhh, ahhhh well," I stammered while trying to compose myself as visions of rude things ran through my mushy brain. "I don't see any real problem with that if you don't. Let's just be perfectly rude." "Well, actually, I was wondering if you would mind if I took a look at your guages?" she asked rather politely. "My guages? "I responded rather weakly in a high voice, my eyes widening. at the prospect of having my guages in- spected. "Ohhhhhh, ahhhhhhh gee, that would be alright with me. No problem at all. Just go ahead and check my guages." "Thanks," she offered while brushing right past me and sticking her head in- side the family Tempo. "I was curious to see if your guage was any different." "You mean in the car," I offered rather embarassed. "I knew you meant the guages in the car. Of course I did. Sure the guage is different. Yours is American. Yes. Sure there's a difference." "Oh, I see. You've got the kilometres on top and the miles per hour below," she observed matter-of-factly. "You know, your guage is much better than mine." "Gee, thanks," I replied, buoyed by the fact that my guage was considered to be above average. "That's very kind of you to say that." So I chatted with those healthy young ladies and several of their friends for a few minutes about their holiday in Canada before departing for an unevent- ful afternoon at work. That has to mark the first time I've ever worked up a sweat pumping gas. And so what if gas is 47 cents a litre. I only pumped about 12 litres on the park- ing lot. THE NEWS PORT FOR GODERICH & DISTRICT SINCE 1848 Goderic1'°' SIGNAL -STAR NEST ALL HOUND COMMUNDY NEWSPAPER IN CANADA [Circ/anon Cass 3500-45001 C. C N.A Barrer Newspaper Co petmon 1984 P.O. BOX 220 HUCKINC ST. INDUSTRIAL PARK GODERICH, ONT. N7A 466 PUBLISHED BY SIGNAL -STAR PUBLISHING LIMITED Founded in 1848 and published every Wednesday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CCNA and OCNA. Subscrip- tions payable in advance 522.00, (Senior Citizens 519.00 privilege card number required) in Canada, 860.00 to U.S.A., 560.00 to all other countries, Single copies 60°. Display, National and Classified advertising rates available on re- quest. Please ask for Rate Card No. 16 effective October 1, 1985. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with the reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but that balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal - Star is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduc- ing purposes. General Manager Editor Advertising Manager SHIRLEY J. KELLER DAVE SYKES DON HUBICK FOR BUSINESS OR EDITORIAL OFFICE...please phone (519)524-2614 Second class A malt registration Member: C+ number 0716 CCNA 50 FAR WE'VE* ADM/T7E1, 72 REFUGEES F/ 'I 1 7E GOLF COURSE --- 3 f FR0"2 ME . U/VnVER corM &E o - - 96 FROM NE YAC( CLUB mo.. 24 FROM Good decision The Goderich Police Commission, in deciding to increase the manpower of the local police force, has made a good decision in every respect. Goderich Police Officers, residents of this town and the commission itself, have for too long been putting up with an unfortunate situation. With officers off on lengthy absences due to illness or injury, and others absent due to annual holidays, the town has been inadequate- ly policed for several months. Problems created by the situation ranged from complaints of overwork from officers to an increase in the local crime rate. Neither situation was acceptable and were creating ten- sions between the police, the commission and the public. This move, along with the promoting of two current officers to the rank,of Acting Sergeant should go a long way toward easing the rumblings of discontent among those involved and providing the citizens of Goderich with the level of protection they are entitled to expect. P.R. Learn safety habits Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for school-age children the Ontario Safety League says. With schools due to open in a few short weeks, now is the time to talk to your children about safe pedestrian and cycling habits. If your child is attending school for the first time, or if you have moved to a new area, it is a good idea to first find the quickest and safest route to school. Then walk with your child over the route a few times before school begins, pointing out the various signs and signals. Remember, children tend to copy their parent's behaviour. If you jaywalk, or cross on a red light, so will they. Teach children to cross only at corners, and not to dash out between parked cars. They are safer if they cross at signalled crossings, or corner's where a crossing guard is stationed. Children are also generally safe if they walk to and from school in` groups. Discourage your children from walking alone, or taking short cuts through strange neighbourhoods. If your children ride buses, teach them not to roughhouse while boarding or alighting. If possible, meet them at the bus stop and walk home with them. Make sure that your children understand the rules of the road for bicycles. Check your child's cycling skills before letting him or her cycle to and from. school. Dress children in light or bright coloured clothes on grey days. If they must be out after dark, look into purchasing reflective clothing or tape. In rural or poorly lit areas, supply each child with a flashlight. Here are a few other tips for safety on the streets for children: Children are adventurous. They will frequently devise their own short cuts and travel pat- terns. Get to know your child's habits and friends better by asking them to take you around the neighbourhood: to the store, to school, to friend's houses to the playground. Emphasize that children should not talk to strangers on the street. Make sure that they know to report to you any person who approaches them on the street. Cute though they may be, clothes with the child's name on the outside are not a good idea. Too many children respond trustingly to adults who call them by name. Make sure your children know their complete names, address, and phone number. If your child carries his or her own house key, don't mark it with your name and address. if it is lost, the finder has all the information needed to enter your house at will. In a civilized society such as ours, only two ancient, barbaric rites of passage re- main for the "sophisticated" North American male. One, is the daily practice of rising each morning and scratching the entire width and breadth of one's face with a sharp object. This bizzare ritual, known by the innocuous name of "shaving," is one for which the original purpose has long since been lost. Why bother? As you can readily acertain with a glance at the image which accompanies this column, I have long since recanted of any further participation in this par- ticular form of self -punishment. Which brings us to the second ritual, namely the practice of men banding together to commisserate with a fellow male who has engaged himself to offer his nuptials to a member of the other gender. In some quarters this gathering is known as a "Bacheolor Party," in others, a "Stag". Whatever the name, the prac- tice has grown somewhat rarer in these times in favor of the co-ed versionf popularly known as a "Stag and Doe". Why the bachelor party was named for a member of the deer family, I really can't say – unlesg it's because any such event is always attended by at least one large person invariably nicknamed "Moose". Since no woman has ever been invited to witness a Stag, except perhaps from the inside of a large cake where the view is undoubtably not the best, I thought I would take the opportunity to enlighten Horticultural novelty, siamese tomatoes weigh two pounds 25 YEARS AGO August 23, 1962: A horticultural novelty in the form of Siamese tomatoes, with a total weight of two pounds, is the prideful display of Mr. Amos Andrew at his dairy farm on West Street. The twon heavy -weight, vege-fruits are firn- ly joined by a hidden umbilical cord, or something, with the plant stem barely show- ing at one side. The tomatoes were grown in Mr. Andrew's garden on South Street. The design of the united fruits follows the pat- tern of an old-fashioned top -and -bottom loaf of bread. The Council of the village of Lucknow is protesting the annoyance to district residents caused by the breaking of the sound barrier by high flying planes. A pro- test has been officially lodged with the Department of National Defense. Com- plaints have been received at Lucknow of damage to commercial roofs, windows, etc., by the blasts from the planes believed to be from a USA base. Rev. E.A. Cooper, minister of the Free Methodist Church, will preach his farewell sermon on Sunday. He will be leaving next week for Hamilton where he has been ap- pointed minister of Buchanan Park Church. The Oesch sisters trio from Zurich will pro- vide special music for the occassion. The in- terior of the church has been tastefully decorated and a large congregation was present last Sunday for the first service since renovations were completed. On Sun- day, September 2, the new minister will be here. He is Rev. R. Glen Pelfrey, BA, BD, them about the goings-on at such events as the one I attended on the weekend. Contrary to popular perception, there are no "dirty movies" shown at Stags. Oh sure, occasionally some enlightend organizers will procure an eight millimetre projector to show educational films on common mating practices, but these are shown soley for the benefit of the groom -to -be, so he will not have to at- tend his own honeymoon uninformed about such matters. The second common misconception is that gambling takes place at bachelor parties. Nothing could be further from the truth. Why do women find it so hard to believe that a group of men could spend their time from sundown one day to sunup the next, playing a friendly game of euchre, with matchsticks for stakes? 4 LOOKING BACK recently returned from missionary work in Jamaica. 50 YEARS AGO August 20, 1937: While at work in the harvest fields near Clinton yesterday, Fergus Van Egmond, Hullet Township, and Harold Taylor, his hired man, found three balloons, one of them still partially inflated, lying among the oat stooks. A note attached stated that they were sent up August 11 from the Lansing, Michigan, playground circus and requested that the finder return them to that address. Mr. Van Egmond complied with the request. The first game of the Huron -Perth Baseball League playoffs will be played at Zurich on Monday night, when the local nine will meet the Zurich squad. Zurich ad- ministered a 10-5 drubbing to Clinton on Wednesday and seem intent on capturing the pennant. They are the top team in the league with Clinton, Goderich and Crediton following in the above order. Prize lists for the fall exhibition of the Goderich Agricultural Society are issued and copies can be obtained from the secretary, Mr. C.E. Groves. The list con- tains many special prizes in various classes. The directors at their meeting on Saturday night last made arrangements for a pro- from this angle Patrick Raftis With such cammraderie taking place, why would anyone need the added incen- tive of $100 pots keep them playing gram before the grandstand for opening night, Tuesday, September 21. The artists, of metropolitan standard, will be entirely new to a Goderich audience and a first-class entertainment i5 assured. Mr. W.H. Ranesbottom of Walkerton has been engag- ed as started for the trials of speed to be held on Wednesday afternoon. There are three events in the program – 2.20, 2.28 and free- for-all, with aggregate prizes of $350. 70 YEARS AGO August 23, 1917: At a meeting of the public school board on Thursday evening, Mr. Charles Cook was appointed caretaker of Victoria school at a salary of $600. It was arranged to advertise for a kindergarten teacher to take the place of Miss Dickson who resigned to take a posi- tion in Dawson City. Mayor Munnings has been informed by Mr. Thomas Stothers, trustee of the OWS Railway, that the material sold to the Pro- vincial Hydro Commission is turning out better than was expected and that probably about $200,000 will be realized from the sale. This is considerably better than was ex- pected and the information is very acceptable. The West is not going to receive much help from Ontario this year, if other districts send no more than Goderich. About half -a - dozen left her on the harvester excursions today. The next excursion will be on August 30 and, as the harvest here will be more than nearly finished by that time, a greater number of men may then be free to go West. throughout the night. Many people also believe the real pur- pose of the Stag is to get the guest of honor blind drunk. This is. preposterous. In fact the last time I saw the guest of honor at a Stag, he did not appear to me to be in the least intoxicated despite the lateness of the hour. As 1 recall, he was actually resting quite peacefully on the open tailgate of a moving pickup truck. How could anyone accuse such a serene soul of being over the legal limit. So, how that I have irrevocably refuted the entanglement of myth and misinfor- mation which has long surrognded the fabled Bachelor Bash, I would like so- meone to return the favor. Can anyone out there tell me what real- ly goes on at a "Lingerie Party"? And, how can I get myself invited to one? Aww c'mon, I told you! 4