YOU BOUGHT WHAT?
(JACK is a laid back kind of person)
alan skeoch
July 20, 2019
My grandmother regularly, in the 1950’s, sent me poems by Edna Jacques that she
carefully cut out of the Toronto Star in spite of her advanced Parkisons’s
disease. Today, july 20, 2019, I thought of her and was reminded of a snippet
from one of those poems
“If you put your nose to the grindstone rough
And hold it down there long enough
In time you’ll say there’s no such thing
as tails that wage or birds that sing.”
(I imposed the ‘tails that wag’ as I forget what Edna wrote but
the meaning is the same”
The reminder came from Jackson Skeoch, our grandson, who is best described
by the expression ‘laid back’ but also he is unpredictable at times. Today was
one of those occasions.
Andrew, Jack and I were attending the massive Amish School Auction sale near Milverton,
Ontario. Piles and piles of things. Long lines of items laid out on a recently threshed grain
field. Thousands of people.
“Jack, look at all the horses and buggies….”
“Seems everyone is out for a good time, Jack.”
“Lots of people here grandpa…all after the same kind of ancient junk you like so much.”
“Take a really close look, Jack…there is more going on here than just the auction…more
than the bidding wars for hay ladders, crocks, wagon wheels, roosters, horses, picks and shovels.”
“What else?”
“Look around…you will see.”
So Jack disappeared while Andrew and I were bidding and buying wood water trough,
fireman’s reeled hose cart from the 19th century, ancient anchors rescued from the
bottom of the St Lawrence river, barrels, pumps, a boat, boxes of plumbing fittings…etc.”
“Where is jack?”
“No idea.”
“I hope he notices those Amish girls…there is a reason they are all dressed up
in their brightest dresses. This is a meeting ground.”
“Jack will notice. He’s seventeen with a keen eye.”
“Where have you been jack?”
“Over with the rabbits…bought four of them.”
“You bought four rabbits?”
“Yep, waved my hand at a fly and the guy yelled ‘Sold’…no cage…cost
me $12. Nearly had a box full of pigeons as well. What can we put them in?”
“Did you say no cage?”
“Yep, what can we put them in…you must have something grandpa…how about
that $2 chicken crate?”
“Jack you make me laugh…all the time…maybe you can wheel one of my purchases…wicker
baby carriage and two old saddles to the truck. I will give you the cage.”
“Sure.”
“Did you notice the girls?”
“What girls?”
(He made that comment with the usual twinkle in his eye. He saw them…and they
must have seen him. Both sexes were dressed to be seen.)
“Grandma, there are four rabbits in this crate…see the shining eye of one?”
“Jack, you bought four rabbits?” said Marjorie with hooping laughter.
“Dad had to wait hours to get those cages. Cost more than the rabbits.”
“Males or females?”
“How would I know, Grandma.” And Marjorie proceeded to determine the
sex of the rabbits…a very tricky thing to do…three males and one female…enough for a brood to come
along.
“What will Julie think when you get home with these rabbits.”
“Remains to be seen, Grandma….they will be company for the dogs.”
“Got them with the swat of fly, Grandma.”
alan skeoch
July 20, 2019