By S. Pate
Oh sister why treat a brother so
Our only conversation when its time to go
Our mother may lie dying upon the floor
And her simple gesture is to show me the door
Oh sister hear my sad complaint
A plaintive love song this surely ain’t
If you have news then let me know
Its nature and end my anxious woe.
O sister I’d call the other if I could
Years have taken away what little good
Might have been when we were seventeen
And the world looked starry and green.
James and Will waiting for Laura, Summer 06
James packed up a U-Haul van with his stuff and left for Toronto last night. He was moving off the Island to live near his brothers and sister. It was after 10 PM when he arrived to return a book on finger style picking but I wanted to get dressed and go with him.
James lived in Toronto for a year in 1998 when we moved there for Aquilium Software. While he wanted to come back to PEI and his friends, he never forgot the friends and lifestyle he had there.
Every year we would go back for Christmas or a summer trip. James would renew his love for the city. He especially liked being with Anthony and Racquel his nephew and niece who lived in Oakville. They are my grandchildren from my son Gabriel and daughter-in-law Georgette. James is remarkably tender and loving for a young man. He treats those two so well and misses them when he is on the Island.
Laura moved to Toronto 10 years ago to enter Law School. When she graduated she joined a law firm there so we had two family reasons to visit.
Will moved from Victoria BC to Toronto late last year to be near his sister and brother. I think the die was cast then that James would join them.
I will miss James. We didn’t see each other allot despite being in the same town. James had his friends and activities. He also liked his private times. But we took time regularly to grab a breakfast at Cora’s or come over for a meal. His appearances at the Farmer’s Market were unplanned and a treat.
It seemed profoundly sad and lonely to give him a bear hug and hand shake. “Do you have money?” I asked looking for something to say. “I don’t need money Dad. I have lots,” he replied. “I wasn’t offering. I was just asking,” I quipped looking to lessen the emotions.
I wished him well as he drove off into the night towards the bridge and the west. That’s it, the last of them off the Island.
BBQ RULES
We are about to enter the summer and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it’s the only type of cooking a ‘real’ man will do, probably because there is an element of danger involved.
When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine…
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill – beer in hand.
Here comes the important part:
(4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine….
(5) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he deals with the situation.
Important again:
(7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine….
(8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
and most important of all:
(10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed “her night off.” And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women….
Not original but funny
