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The Rural Voice, 1986-10, Page 10'ija espeare View +Farms Breeders of • Superior • ROP Tested • Durocs • Landrac, • Yorkshn, OMAF HEALTH RATING "GOOD" Gerry & Linda Knechtel & Family Shakespeare, Ontario 519-625-8717 We invite your breeding stock inquiries ANNOUNCEMENT Robert Walker, president of Robert's Welding in Walton and Wayne Cadman, president of Cad- man Power Equipment in Courtland are pleased to announce the open- ing of Walton Irrigation. There ,s dirfercnce 2k/too Specializing in .. Irrigation Rental for water & liquid manure Featuring: • Cadman Traveller • Doda pump with chopper • Agitator & accessories BOOK NOW FOR FALL PUMPING 2kNo 9vuaaka Division of Cadman Power Equipment WALTON 519-887-6080 8 THE RURAL VOICE JUST ME AND THE GOLDFISH September was supposed to be the momentous month during which mothers across the nation were allowed to have that second cup of coffee in total solitude after the children left for school. But before these second -cup mornings could be achieved, mothers were honour -bound to run the gauntlet of stores in order to outfit their youngsters for the occasion of attending classes once again. This year I lost one chickie to higher education, and she opted to stay home and ransack the house for furnishings for her apartment at college. The first mall we terrorized didn't have much to offer as far as the kids were concerned, so we proceeded on to the next. I've always figured that if at first you don't succeed, you're just about average. The second mall was a bit more into the styles that they sought, but we staunchly proceed- ed on. We hit paydirt in the third. Since I wasn't doing the pay- ing, all that was required of me — as overseer of the interiors of closets — was to inform the kids whether the item they were con- sidering was washable or needed ironing. Occasionally I would be asked if something made them look "fat." I always shook my head. Ironically enough, the item that should have been the easiest to get (it had nothing to do with school wardrobes) proved to be the hardest. The youngest, Deb- bie, wanted a goldfish. Not just any old fish, but one the right colour, with the right swishy tail, and with the correct assembly of fins. She finally hit the store that had what she wanted and I of- fered to take all the packages to the car while they shopped for the little tuna. On the way back to meet them, I noticed the three of them come out of the store and then come to a dead stop. There was a lot of bending over and excited shouting before Debbie made a mad dash to the doors, hands cupped in front of her. Rather alarmed at this odd behaviour, I gave chase to the three of them. I came to a puffing halt in the pet depart- ment. A tearful Debbie was attemp- ting to explain to the saleslady how her goldfish had hit the deck in the parking lot and flopped out of its bag. Rather than see it gasp its last, she had sprinted back with the flopping little thing and thrown it back in the tank. She now wanted it returned. The saleslady must have realiz- ed from the agitated state of her little customer that this was a catastrophe and not a con job, and she helped Debbie fish out the same unfortunate fish. This time she double -bagged it. We left with a beaming Debbie and a goldfish. Other shoppers, who had witnessed the mad dash through the store, stepped away from us with a questioning ex- pression. You'd think that it was a novelty to see a grown woman chase three kids through a store at breakneck speed. •ss The bus has pulled away from the end of the lane, and the only sounds in the house are the echoes of their good-byes. I plug in the kettle for that second cup of coffee. It's supposed to make me euphoric but I am finding that it falls flat. I have been avoiding going into the stripped room of my eldest daughter, and I have been clucking around like a broody hen whose nest has been raided. All that I'm left with for com- pany is the goldfish with skid marks on its forehead. I can't believe that 1 actually wish it would giggle, bicker, or create some clutter.O Gisele Ireland, from Bruce Coun- ty, began her series of humorous columns with The Rural Voice and has written several books since.