Cape Breton's Magazine

Rita's Hospital. And in those days--still do it in some places, I guess--she wanted --when I was talking to her, she said, "I don't think I'm going to get better." She said, "You'll take me home, will you?" I said, "Sure I'll take you home, one way or the other." So, I did. We had a wake right here in the house. (You may not notice this, and I may be wrong, but--for a funny man--most of the stories that we share, they're not fun? ny.... You don't spend a lot of time off? stage trying to make people laugh, do you?) Allan chuckles. No, no, no. Well, I can just--my whole life's been like that--I can change, like that. You know, if somebody called me and said, "We're in trouble. We've got something going on to? night and we need somebody. We'd love to have you. Can you cook up something and run down for half an hour or something?" And if it was a friend of mine, or somebody that I thought I should help out. And from then, the time he'd call, till I was ready to go, I'd be thinking about this story or that story. I'd have to do some research now be? cause I haven't done anything for awhile, so I'd have to get into the books. (By "books," Allan means sheets with one-line reminders of his jokes and stories. He pulls out the box.) In a box--I keep it right behind me here. Those are nights out --every one of those (sheets of paper), I wrote out. So I just have that in front of me on (stage)--I insisted on a podium, eve? rywhere I went. I'd just have that on the '' Come for the summer, '.'' stay for the fall colours • ' you are welcome to VICTORIA COUNTY Make Victoria County the centre of your stay in Cape Breton. Hil

Cape Breton's Magazine