The Brussels Post, 1974-03-20, Page 2g
6
Just back on the job after a week in bed
with the doctor. as the old gag has it.
Actually, it was a particularly virulent flu I
was in bed with. I was so sure I was going
to die that I even cancelled my curling
dates,
Still weak and shaky, but I'm glad I got
back on my feet. When a guy is not on the
job, even for a week, his whole world starts •
to crumble around him.
At school, my students, without any firm
hand on the helm, were wallowing in a sea
of silliness. They had discovered they could
get away with murder with a substitute
skipper, and I found it necessary to flog six
of them at the mast and keelhaul a few
more to get them herded back into the
fo' scle
They're reasonably subdued again, but
there is still some friction. Because the sun
is shining, and it's a few degrees above
freezing outside, they want all the windows
open. Because I still have a fever and don't
want to be in a draught, I want them
closed. We compromised. We closed the
windows and opened the door.
At home, things were. in even a worse
mess, when I struggled back to a modicum
of health. My family had robbed me blind.
Almost literally.
Daughter Kim was home for a visit with
fat and saucy Nikov Shen. The visit
coincided with her birthday. My wife, in a
state of euphoria and grandmotherly
gormlessness, gave Kim a cheque that
made my eyes water, with real salt teats,
when I heard the amount.
Kim escaped with the biggest ripoff of
1974 before I was strong enough to do
anything about it.
When I was able to bellow outrage, my
wife tried to soothe. "It's just to help the
young folks out. After all, you can't take it
with you."
My response: "Who the hell helped us
out when were the 'y oung folks'? 'What do
you mean 'take it with you.' There won't be
anything left to take. besides, I wasn't
planning on geing just yet, whatever the
rest of you had planned for me."
That was bad enough, Worse to come.
Son.Hugh came bathe to see his beloved
parents before embarking on a pilgrimage
to Israeli Every time son Hugh comes
home, I put both hands on my wallet and
brace myself. kie's always just 'a little
short'. He's practiSing to be an
extortionist. and promises to be one of the
great ones.
Sure enough. He had saved enough for
the return air fare, but needed some bread
for eating and sleeping in the Holy Land. I
almost said something blasphemous about
what he could do with his pilgrimage, but
bit my lip, reminded ,him of previous
"loans", and told him I might as well take
the money and throw it off the end of the
dock as give it to hint. •
His logical reply was that there was still
ice on the bay, so it would be a pointless
gesture.
Left to chew on that; I regained my cool.
I thought, "Well, I've given money to
some pretty crazy causes in my day. I may
as well subsidize this disciple as he walks
in the steps of the Master, orwhat ever. He
looks a bit Jewish with those dark eyes.
Maybe he'll lose his papers, as he usually
does, and the Israelis will draft him into the
army for two years."
So I told him how much he could have,
adding, "That's my first and final offer."
He accepted with the equanimity for which
he is noted. I retired to my sick bed.
Lying there in a fever, I thought I could
hear his and his mother's voices going on
and on, but I wasn't sure and was too sick
to care,
Next morning I was told by my wife, with
a certain uneasiness, that she had raised
the ante a bit. "Just enough so the poor kid
doesn't starve."
The "poor kid" is twenty-six, and with
his abilities as a con artist hasn't the
remotest possibility of ever coming within
hailing distance of st arvation.
With real trepidation I enquired how
much. I cam very near to having a stroke
when I learned she had almost doubled my
bid, which I had thought was in trumps.
After years of paying interest and
mortgages and banks, I had finally got
clear, and even had a few bucks ahead,
was looking around for somewhere to
invest it with the hope that I might have a
few dollars extra for the odd box of beet
when I arrived at the bread-arid-water
existence level of the old age pension.
And there I was, wiped out, practically,
in one Weak week: Moral. Never had a joint
account with your wife.
Myy only consolation was that if I'd
invested in something, Wed have had an
Instant depression, and i'd have lost every
nickel. That Would be a sure thing, with my
I
•
Sugar and Spice
By Bill Smiley
IIESTAIILNPOID
1172
russeb Post.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1974
Serving Brussels and the surrounding community.
, Published each. Wednesday afternoon at Brussels; Ontario
by McLean Bros.Publishers, Limited.
Evelyn Kennedy - Editor Tom Haley - Advertising
Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association.
Subscriptions (in. advance) Canada i$6.00,a year, Others
$8.00 a year, Single Copies 15 cents each.
Second class mail Registration No. 0562,
Telephone 887-6641.
Our - principal product
is garbage
Our principal product is not progress, it's
garbage.
A possible slogan for today is "Be careful how
you throw it away!"
You know what happens when you cast your
detergents on the waters - or dump your sludge in
the oceans. All that glitters likely as not litters -
especially when you think of pop bottles, beer cans or
aluminum foil. Cellophane is a pain when it lies
mainly in the lane.
It was bad enougK when all we had to worry about
was what we threw away in the picnic areas or the
ditches beside the highways. Now we've got to watch
what we throw away in space. It has been reported
that a 40-pound chunk of space debris, some metal
from a U.S.-launched space probe, crashed to earth
in Cuba and killed a cow. A recent count of orbiting
objects was 624 satellites and 2,349 pieces of debris.
Whether it's an ancient jalopy, a piece of tissue
stained with lipstick or an old nose cone, you've got
to be responsible discarders. You must learn how to
throw things away intelligently. It doesn't matter
whether you're an actor throwing away a line, a
president throwing away tapes or just an ordinary
citizen throwing caution to the winds.
(The United Church of Canada)
Volunteers
The volunteers of the CanadianRed Cross Society
come in all ages, shapes, sizes, races and colours,
but they have one thing in common--they all agree
that they get much more than they give.
Last year they gave half a million man-hours to
make the programmes of Red Cross work. At the
basic minimum wage of $2.00 an hour that
represents a donation in time of one million dollars!
But Red Cross volunteers are "skilled labour" in
their field. Who can estimate the value of their
services? How much is caring worth per hour? Can
you really put a price on friendship?
Of course not, nor would the volunteers wish to.
Because they get much more than they give. The
Grade IV class of children which adopted an invalid
widow as their grandmother have shared an
experience beyond price. The family of the volunteer
Who drives wheelchair-bound patients on outings,
takes for granted that Christmas falls on. December
24, so mom can spend the 25th and 26th driving her
"friends" to spend Christmas with their friends. The
water safety instructor -who teaches swimming on
Tuesday and Thursday evenings to handicapped
children wouldn't miss one of these dates for
anything. The thousands of women who gather in
Red Cross branches and their own homes around the
country to sew, knit 'and make quilts for free
distribution enjoy the Companionship and social
experience of their get-togethers as much as the
knowledge that they are filling an important need in
human relations: When earthquake, flood or,
hUrrican strikes some Corner of the world, the'
clothing and qUiitS made by these Canadian Red
Cross volunteers is often the first assistance given tc
the victirns.
Red Cross Vblunteers are proud of what they do,
but they don't think of themselves as "special"
They are people, just like you-,helping people jusi
like you. , ,•
During March-Red Cross rhOnth-,Red Cross
draws your attention to the many ways in Which its
Volunteers serve our corrialunIty,
BRUSSELS
ONTARIO
+AO
Snake rail fence
THE
first
Stev
Ag of
ednesch
weight
eld at
west
all
sp
C o
roducc nd
Mrs.
im and
ifi Mrs. M
resided
onvener
c ahnadnetrbseo rn
stitute at
lling whe
dte be a S
Coming ye
`Poultry P
erre' urges
Mrs.Mrs. Kel
ecil Sande
stitute an
l
ing
whet
be a v S
ming yea
oultry P1
rereil 10
urged
in
Mrs. Ke
ck Nicho
ma tringge ufopr
ethers is
ncer cam
An old -HI
r March 2
(fins Orch
tic sic and
the door.
Everyone
alk and
lated by
•
The
ce: itl?.al
lections.
anked th
em with -g
lialeda"thaenet'
, To
MYs. Win,
Utlit
esday aft(
atfiett lit
rship ser
"To
e", Mrs
ete,taty, ,
thittit,
itivi
sbyterian
rt East