How often is it...you see a truck
signage as you drive along a city street or busy highway? The company name triggers a “flashback” to a
once-upon-a-time in your life. Perhaps it's
a bumper sticker...a licence plate catch-word...a news article caption...a
billboard sign...a media advertisement.
The mind
replays...what the heart can't delete.
(Anonymous)
FLYNN (seen in Classified
Section)...caught my attention a few weeks ago.
John, an almost-forgotten school friend, attended both elementary and high school with me. My family
lived on a farm along Hwy. 53, east of Burford.
Part way into the village from my home, sidewalks were provided. Mrs. Flynn lived in a stately two-storey
yellow brick home with her son, John (and seemingly without a husband).
Always well dressed and gracious, she was, to me, the epitome of someone
quite well established. A warm and friendly person, she adored her academically bright boy.
One evening, John and a school
friend were driving a half-ton truck around the Burford Fairground's race
track...for kicks and freedom of enjoyment!
John, standing on the running board outside the passenger door, fell
when his driving buddy speedily swerved...and hitting his head on a curve-post,
was suddenly killed. His mother was
devastated...as were all the village people...questioning WHY this foolish
teenage adventure resulted in an unexpected death!
AUDREY Grant...a
well-recognized and professional Bridge Instructor and author of several Bridge
Books, came to Burlington to visit her mother.
While here, she conducted a seminar for bridge player enthusiasts at the
Roseland Club. The AUDREY name carried
me back to teaching days. This AUDREY
and I were best friends. Meeting the
“man of her dreams”, she told me that the following summer, she was travelling
to Turkey with him to meet his family.
Unknown to me, until just prior to her departure, she was carrying with
her a wedding dress. She didn't return
to Hamilton for her teaching position at summer's end. Telephoning her school, I was told she was no
longer on staff. I considered she must have advised the principal about
remaining in Turkey. Next year,
contacting the Board of Education, I was advised that she was positioned at another school. The receptionist at said
school stated that AUDREY requested she be contacted only by parents of her
students. Sadly, I was unable to locate
her...and lost contact...a true mystery!
ESQUIRE MOTEL: A few weeks
ago, returning from Hamilton to Burlington one dark evening, it was raining. The Plains Road West street lights and the
oncoming vehicle headlights glared on the drizzling wet pavement. Approaching
the Esquire Motel, a memory flashback to-a-several-years-ago similar wet
evening, a woman ran from this motel and without stopping, dashed in front of
my marine-blue MGB...narrowly I missed her as she precariously ran across the
other three lanes and disappeared into the black rainy night.
Life is very
complicated! Don't try to find answers ~
because, when you
find answers, Life changes the questions.
(Anonymous)
GREEN (on an environment
sign). This reminded me of a
Georgian Court town home neighbour family who lived adjacent to us. They had a little girl, Stephanie, same age
as my daughter. Constantly trying to make friends, when they were both about 4
years old, Stephanie stated to my daughter who was enjoying an afternoon snack
on our patio, “If you give me a cookie, I'll be your best friend!”
The Green family had a striped
tabby cat who was daily put outside for fresh air. We called him Tiger!
On bad or cold-weather days, he
came to our door, claw-hanging onto the screen with front paws seeking
admittance to visit our two Siamese cats and for afternoon respite. He would
sit in front of our pets' food and water dishes in the kitchen...looking at me
with eyes requesting to be fed. After
helping himself to what was given, he retreated upstairs to afternoon-nap on a
bed with one of our Siamese. When he
considered his “outside-time” was up, he padded down the stairs, waiting at our
patio door to return home...giving his family the understanding he'd been
enjoying his “outside fresh air.”
So frequent were his visits to us
and the cat-ship with my Siamese, I shot pictures of their interactions,
organized them in logical sequence to create a story...wrote some narration and
selected background music (believe it
was The Baby Elephant song). On
Photo-Essay night at a local camera
club, I presented my little masterpiece,
Didn't win...but given Honourable Mention...for “originality”.
McNally (viewed on TV
advertisement): I hadn't heard that name
in a long time. When my son studied
at University of Windsor, he attended a church whose minister was Al
McNally. To me, he had been an
acquaintance from Hamilton. I was most
pleased to be informed of this connection.
The church congregation became my son's
“family away from home”. Frequently, they invited him for lunch and/or
dinner; as a result he became involved in the church activities when his time
permitted.
Not fond of obituaries, I noticed
in today’s Spectator this name with a basketball photo of Robbie Croft wearing a Tennessee
Volunteers shirt numbered 40, dribbling the ball and with alert eyes
on the basket. Robbie, an extremely tall boy well over six feet tall was a Grade
8 student in my class at Hampton Heights. Here he was introduced to basketball and
continued his love of this game throughout High School and beyond. Gentle,
kind and always respectful, I felt akin to him…his birth date of March 17th
same as mine!
Croft, Bob: Bob
passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Carpenter Hospice on March 23,
2014. A much beloved and loving partner
and best friend of Jean Bennie, his daughter Debbie Croft and son Rob Croft............ A star basketball player at Hill Park Secondary School, Bob still holds the record of 62 points scored in a
championship game played against Delta at McMaster University. He played for the National Team when he was
in Grade 11. Bob was the first Canadian to be offered an American Scholarship
to a Major Division 1Basketball University at Knoxville, Tennessee where he became team captain in his 4th year. Bob was touted
to be the first Canadian destined to be All American and regarded by some
as the top prospect in USA. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the
NBA draft. Bob played in the A.B.A. for
the Kentucky Colonels and the Texas Chaparrals.
After several years with Dofasco, he returned to the Hamilton Basketball Community and shared his
considerable knowledge and skills working with a boy’s high school and University teams.
(Excerpts from a lengthy Obituary)
Isn't it amazing what
one's 'memory bank' holds???
Perhaps you've
encountered similar experiences.
People are like
stained glass windows. They sparkle and
shine when the sun is out.
But when the
darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed
only if there is a light from within.
only if there is a light from within.
Merle
Baird-Kerr...written March 25, 2014
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