Wingham Advance-Times, 1980-12-30, Page 12Pu
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Advanc Times
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Story
Contest
♦ ileiM eiriiiilieew
By Shawna Thomson
Wingham Public School
Yes, he could remember better Christmases. Even in
bad times the good memories had flooded through him
and kept him warm in his happiness for hours. His first
outstanding Christmas must have been the most self -
satisfying (he had been a very greedy little boy). He
had been almost nine years old then and had had a list
a foot long.
This recollection sent a chuckle through his body that
set him wheezing in the chilly December air. He had
gotten literally mountains of toys and games, but best
of all were the caroling and the happy faces of older
people as the sweet, melodic voices of the children
ast Chris'.
reached their ears. No mistake about it, he had once
been spoiled and rich, thodgh you wouldn't know it to
look at hien now.
Walldng thropgh the park in his tattered clothes this
old man, Joe, looked like a rag tossed askew with the
wind that would soon bring snow to cover the frozen
land. His red swollen hands had once worked hard, and
willingly too, but now lay idle and cold constantly. His
grey, matted hair was last cut long ago and now hung
limp by his shoulders. His wind -whipped face had
many expressions all rolled into one warm and loving
look...
Joe had much love to give and all his affection was
poured onto and absorbed by one scruffy terrier by the
name of Max. This dog was another Christmas story in
himself. Joe had found him on Christmas Eve in an
alley being kicked around and pushed aside by a crowd
of bustling people hunting around for last-minute gifts.
Joe thought that Christmas was a time when people
had extra love and affection for each other, but no one
seemed to notice or care about this forlorn lost puppy
in a corner.
That was eight years ago and they had grown old and
feeble together. Together, they had been close com-
panions until a few weeks ago when Joe had had Max
done away with as Max grew crippled and blind. But
Joe could remember the carefree jaunts in the park.
They had been so close.
His next retrospect was during his first year at
college when he was kept, at the last minute, from
going home. He had wandered aimlessly throughout
the boarding house looking at everyone having a good
time unwrapping presents and joking around. He
thought Christmas was a time of sharing but no one
seemed willing to share their happiness with him. Joe
had been alone then but not totally so. At least then he
had had a home, a family, a life. Now he had nothing.
There had once been those who needed him. His wife
;the baby, Kelly, had one
#it1 him and he had hdfllled, r
t certainly all ti}i r .
nth.
,the family, his'fa y, had
Celly had been ,encha 'tted ,i ti the Id 4'q
ree in the ho► d decoratlng bad F
eligheful. The > aok`of pure; joy oto
sight of the fe�l►r tldt preolotl d
z heart to the h had core'
of Jesus' birtsimply .enthralled
AP_ hit looked outside every night for a big, bright
PPointment When she hadn't seen one lead
en the man's. art .Be' misaatt them ea
t was sometinitea unbearable Mal Many a .
cried himself to steep at night_
on things` h4d9ne, from bad to worse
,•_.had nothing bait. mineiories,. always the.
— r'- ' hristmases' le• then`bad been spent in
td parks, al ays•° alone. ,
t all this as hei meander ed through . the,
en park. The:pnrieaVaeltill. ef the sounds of
anda vtery, ma
44.
Jo felt ch alone and left
out enwere laughing and chattering around
and 'thoi ght back to hit; 'bliss.fidly 4 carefree child
h. had been so simple then, Your decitsions
weftdeefor you and people took care of yon e;
now vu `aas sso complicated, .So cult .
gtifithing had happenedto•Joe on Christanas, some
bad; owe;gocd.This yearwide�ytelynotgood;
x, ,aid "hungry; Joe covered himself with news
pa' s ;s nd fell asleep pondering the;t rue meaning of
Perhaps it was Simplyly being with someone
you lot ; at had certainl ;:rt ade Joe happy;,., but nook ,
he„.,w,a b one. After he had' shed: a few ,tearss, ',101!„.;
Iwinll, bbreathing slowed to a : steady, wheezing—
"FOOnd dead on Dec. 26 is Joe Saunders, aged 73.
May laciest ui peace:"
MRS. JOE WALKER
Bluevale Personal Notes
Mr. and Mrs. John
MacTavish of Brantford, Mr.
and Mrs. Harold Grant of RR
4, Wingham and Mr. and
Mrs. Jack Willitts of
Wroxeter were Tuesday
dinner guests' of Mr. and
Mrs. Alex MacTavish.
We are pleased to hear
, that Mrs. Robert McKinnon
is out of hospital and spent
Christmas with Mr. and Mrs.
Spence McKinnon at Sarnia.
%en Dec. 27 she attended the
wedding of her grand-
daughter, Barbara Ann, at
Woodstock.
Christmas Day guests` of
MacTavish were Mr. and
Mrs. Ross Gray. Mr. and
Mrs. Hugh Jarvis, Andy, Ian
• and Trace were Christmas,,
Eve,, visitors at .the
McTavish home.
Mr andMrs: Jack Eliott
and family of Richmond Hili
and Mr. and ` Mrs.. Alvin
Gamble and daughter of
Listowel i were ' holiday
"'Visitors . with their parents,
Mr. and Mrs, Harry Elliott.
„ Sincere sympathy is ex-
pressed to the family of Alex
Shaw, who passed away
Friday in the Wingham and
District Hospital.
Christmas Day visitors at
the home of Mr. and; Mrs.
Glenn Snell were Mr. and
Mrs. William Dettman,
Wroxeter, Mr. and Mrs. Ron
Elliott, Rhonda and Sherry
of Palmerston, Mr. and Mrs.
Gerald Snell, Kevin and
Gary Leis off Brussels.
Celebrating Christmas
with Mr. anal. Mrs Harold
Elliott were Mr. and Mrs. •
George Fischer •. Mr. and
:Mrs ° lasrenlenfrng nllri
and alis: Joe Walker, Mr:
and Mrs. Larry Elliott. and
Shawnda, , Mr. and Mrs.
Daryl Walker, Mr. and Mrs.
Jim Moffat and Rob, Kathy
Walker,. Ken Skinn, Marie,
Sheila andKevin. Walker.
Congratulations to Mr. and
Mrs. Eric McKenzie on the
arrival of their daughter in
Wingham and District
Hospital on Christmas Eve.
Mr. and Mrs) George
1;
sx,
.N.
9a
IPS l: obs
dafine
Wigg. aln
rot ghutoat
(a rl ri, cFa
,:,t+ arilii4>t1 second..
alstl 5 . y
9 • filo; sccohd`
ll ttll; Mailr Foxten scored
of three pale,
'assisted by: pout loot) and
Doug Stephenson :At a;,
Rab • Willis mads $ 40,
Soak
?fie • Wi.ngiftiM,Ki
lJaiittarr, abateds
,"
1 wing over S M
leo at' Che Seafoi
De ,16, y ':
Brett Gan eron toed, a sa
from;, Byron Thompson and
fired' a blazing past:
the ,Seaforth goaltende . at
the 1:4,0: mark'4-411- r the first
*kid,;;Seaforth tied` . the
scoreat 7:39 of the'second.
the balance of the game
was. all - Wingham's. Doug
Stephenson scored what
proved to be the winning goal
with less than a• minute left
• ,} in the. second: period, assisted
Ironmen
beat, Green After going through the
• Motions : in ,the first ,'two
periods, the Wingham teem
• camfle gut
ytng to file third
with three powerplay frame,. and Paul Robinson
scored a, pretty goal at 3:55,
Fischer entertained their By Peter Bauer Kinahan, "playing between first two periods before hie:',-, unassisted. Kenyon added a
family on Sunday, Mr. and The Wingham Ironmen the two attackers, blocked a injury:: Steve Brock of the goal less than a minutelater,
Mrs. Kelvin Fischer and
and Fergus Green Machine pass which would have put visiting Fergus club was the assisted by Doug Stephen
Sandra, Mr. and Mrs° Jim met head-on in an " OHA the forward in ,a scoring third star. He had one, assist son Mike Houghton wrapped
Moffat and Rob. Junior C hockey game in position , all alone, then for the afternoon but played up up.:,. -,the scoring at 6:_19,
Mr. and. Mrs.• Bob" Wingham on Boxing Day arid 'stopped' 'Ky. second attempt. with ag g r e s s i V e n es s assisted by Doug McFarlan:
MacTavish, Ken and Tim the Ironmen emerged .4.2 While cbntrollitig thepuck he throughout the match. •
celebrated Christmas , with winners . e ` passed to orlebf his own line Patty Nesbitt was the ICE •VHIPS 1'raser Strong
Mr. and Mrs. AIex It was the last meeting be- mates and •' thwIrted the winner of $21 in the, 50750 is tatskrng rover the.eoaching
MacTavish on Sunday. tween the two clubs i ,regu- threat from the opposition. draw. Larry Cerson was the lob -:.with the- ,'•W rngha m
Boxing Day guests of Mr. lar season la • and the win w winner of the minor hockey Bantams and*ill behind
and Mrs. Keith Moffatt, for the home club pulled it The Fergus,;club had one �° draw for an ounce of gold.,. the tench for the next game;;
Sandra and Greg were Mr. even in games played this' goalisa lowed in the second wF „
and Mrs. Russell Teeple, period' because of a penalty'
George and Vivian and 'Mr. y 1 ,
ear. Both cubs won two
and Mrs. Gordon. Jamison, .tom 'apiece, with the fifth
call and -'then again in the
garY9l'e being a 5-5 draw. -. . third period for the same �°
Lisa; Dianne and Debbie. : - . - reason. All in all, the penal, ,
•:Sundayvisitors with Mr:; It was the second encaun tiers •read]. hu ` ergus„ fora.
and Mrs. Burns Moffatteand tee: iia - thi a aril' "flsfi':' he.y' p�os"sibleeffi e' -el"' '
Brian were Mr. and Mrs. plugs and , the .calibre of Gord'Kitiahan was the first;,.
Rick Korda,. Adam , and hockey was , very much the star with'a - .goal nd an
Janine of Guelph. • " in both games There . assist, r
Christmas guests of Mr. were 105-minutteriin penalties He was also ptorinent. on
and Mrs. Glenn Golley and ' in,"Fridvay's game, compared defence; solidifying the rear -
family .were' Dianne Pen- to rhe 116 in Friday night's guard with his soupd play.
nington, Katherine McKim,, game of a week ago. Don Higgins wad• theseocond
Mr. arid Mrs. Burns Moffatt, star stopping 19 shots in the
Brian Moffatt;Mr. and Mrs. - ,powerplays played a 'key '
., Keith Moffatt, Sandra and
rol in the..outcome of the
Gregg Mr. and Mrs. Harold match;