The Rural Voice, 1998-06, Page 471 were always hit by a sudden urge to
build. Saturday morning, we would
head off to the local hardware store in
search of more boards and nails and
screws. I can still hear the sharp
clatter of nails being poured onto the
metal weigh scale. I even got to carry
the paper bag full of shiny new
screws, a big responsibility for a
small kid. Then, we'd stop for ice
cream on the way home. Lifc was a
lot simpler, then.
An old hammer lies covered in
dust in the corner of the shed.
It's the one that Dad and I
once used to build a birdhouse
together. I was about 10 and the
hammer, too big for my hand, bent
the nail each time I hit it. Dad just
smiled and showed me what the other
end of the hammer was for. That day,
I learned to pull nails, while he built
the birdhouse. It seemed a fair trade.
Screwdrivers, on the other hand,
opened up a whole new world for me.
After pulling countless nails, the
ability to simply unscrew something
was nothing less than a godsend. I got
to know their names: slot, Phillips,
Robertson. Over the years, they
became some of my best friends. It is
a relationship that continues to serve
me well today.
Knocking down a pair of tree
pruners, I back into the stepladder.
Haven't thought about that in years.
The day that Dad climbed into the
Manitoba Maple to trim some
branches damaged in a late winter
storm. As he left the ladder and
pulled himself into the tree, the
ladder must have fallen away, leaving
him trapped up there.
When I heard him calling, I came
running, not knowing exactly what
I'd find. My sudden laughter brought
a scowl and then a smile. Eventually,
we got him down. But only after a
good deal of ribbing!
At last, I find the pitchfork and
hoe I've been looking for. Back to
work. Can't spend all day thinking
about the past. But, on Father's Day,
it's hard not to remember some of the
special times we shared. They went
by so quickly and without much
notice. Thanks to the old tool shed,
thcy're memories that won't fade
with time. They're simply stored
away for another day.0
Carol Riemer lives near Grand
Valley, Ontario.
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JUNE 1998 43