One winter evening, back in the 1980’s, I went to the Kinsman Arena here in Prince Albert. As I entered the playing area, there was a hockey game already underway. I had to move to the end boards to watch the game. There was standing room only.

I cautiously made my way down the school hallway,. It was my first time playing Santa. I was anxious. Suddenly a boy about eleven appeared. Dressed in a hockey jacket, he swaggered – a self assured tough guy walk. Showing he was too old for this Santa stuff he grinned and said, “You’re too skinny to be Santa. Oh well, you better get in there. They’re waiting.” 

“Dad, because you are a teacher and have the summer off, why don’t you take the job of Camp Manager at Tapawingo?”

“What? Why would you want your old dad to do that?  Surely you don’t want me around while you are there!”

Have you ever spilled processed oil, in particular automobile oil on your clothes? Disconcerting, messy, and very hard to remove, isn’t it? Well imagine walking to work, minding your own business, when suddenly you are sprayed by a fine mist of such oil. Or imagine hanging out your freshly washed clothes to dry in the warm, beautiful sun, going into the house to get a cup of coffee, looking out the kitchen window only to see the wash covered in droplets of ugly black oil. Or imagine going out to your prized automobile to find it spotted with oil. Or perhaps envisage stepping outside after a late lunch to find your newly painted white house dotted with dark oily stains, and your coveted lawn and garden flooded in oil.

Recently, Fay and I watched the Carlton Comprehensive High School’s online graduation presentation. It was most tastefully done. We chuckled as each grad was introduced, first with a cute early childhood picture, and then we smiled and clapped when the grad appeared in graduation garb. A short blurb, spoken by a favourite teacher, accompanied the pictures. It was a moving presentation, and done on a media that allows for permanent remembrance.