What Do You Think?

by Hattie Dyck

Listening to stories from the senior population has always been fun for me as they lived during a time when money was scarce, hard work was the norm, and we made our own recreation, including hymn sings, church suppers, plowing matches, and telling stories.

   This was a time, too, when most of us “youngsters” at the time were taught to listen to the older population. It was not really good for us if we didn’t.

   Some of the old advice gives us a good laugh which we all need. Like: Telling an angry woman to calm down is as about as productive as baptising a cat. I sort of agree with that one as my own cat listens when he wants to but expects instant service if he wants to come indoors.

   Some others are: Life is like Thai Curry. What you enjoy today may burn your butt tomorrow; How long a minute is depends on which side of the bathroom door you’re on.

   Two things define us: Our attitude when we have nothing and our attitude when we have everything. 

   Don’t worry about old age, it probably won’t last that long.

   The squeaky wheel gets the grease but the silent hog gets the swill. If you believe that you haven’t tried to get a good idea through the political community. It took 40 years to get the Shubenacadie River Crossing ( The Clarence Gosse Bridge) built. It’s hard to imagine life without it now.

   The greatest advantage about speaking the truth is that you don’t have to remember what you said.

   One story that came from England many years ago proves that history isn’t boring. It tells us that in one small community the locals started running out of places to bury people. When this happened they would dig up coffins and take the bones to the bone house. They would then reuse the grave. It is said that in one out of 25 coffins they found scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. Thus the idea of tying a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through and up through the

ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit at the graveyard in case they heard from “A BELL RINGER”. This also brought into play “THEGRAVEYARD SHIFT.”

   Maybe “BELIEVE IT OR NOT” would be pertinent for all of us who like stories.

   Bye for now.