Page 10 - With Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald

ISSUE : Issue 46

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1987/8/1

I said, "Ralph, we're going to get scalped out here!" He said, "What do you mean?" I said, "Just go take a look out there. Un? less you cut some of the acts out." So he came back, white as a ghost, and said to me, "My God! Look, we'll have to get out of here." So he told us, "Get all your stuff gathered up, and we'll get the hell out of here." So we packed up--we didn't have much to pack--violin, guitar, and some old clothes we had for the dress-up, you know. So we went out the back door, and took off. And never stopped till we landed at MacNeils' in Big Pond. (You never put the show on!) They never knew what happened to us ! Never f oiond out to this day what happened to the Maritime Merrymakers. I often laughed! I can even laugh yet about it, it was so funny get? ting out of there. And that Blackmore from Truro, he was so damned scared--driving out King's Road there he was looking over his shoulder. That was the start, my start. It got off to a bad start! But nevertheless. We had a show in Big Pond. We stayed all night there. Ralph had been down--he had one of those crank movie machines--he had been down before, and he knew them. So we stayed there all night, and I think we put on a little concert the next night and made a few dollars, enough to get gas to carry on. So we carried on like that all the way till we got up to Annapolis Valley. (What did you do as part of the Maritime Merrymakers?) Other than playing the vio- A few years ago, drinking was part of a good time, but too many "good times" ended in tragedy. Today drinking and driving is socially unacceptable and tough laws are in place to enable police to detect and stop drinking drivers. If alcohol makes up part of your celebrations • Select a designated driver who doesn't drink to get the rest of the group home safely. Take a cab ot other public transportation. Arrange to stay over until you've sobered up. As a host, make food, non-alcoholic drinks and activities the highlights of the party, if you do offer a bar, shut it down at least an hour before guests plan to leave. Provide accommodations, or a drive home for guests who've "had too much". And, never offer anyone "one for the road". Don*t risk your life -' and those you love - for a **good time*! Nova Scotia >' Department of W Transportation lin, I was in a couple of skits. I was a salesman, and I was trying to come in your office, trying to sell you something. And the black fellow--Max Cross, he was the coloured fellow, he was the boss in there. And he had two barrel stays nailed togeth? er, you know, in one end. Of course I had a big Eaton's catalogue tied to my rear end. And this fellow tried to put me out of his office, and I wouldn't go. I in? sisted that he would buy something. So he called them up. A coloured fellow came out with those "persuaders," he called them. And he whacked hell out of me there for a- bout 5 minutes, before I moved. Little short sketches like that. (And you would play the fiddle as part of the show.) Max Cross, he was singing and guitar playing, good singer--he would chord with me. I played the same type of music, you know, reels and jigs and so on. (And that was the beginning of your show career.) Yes, that was the very start of it. So we went up to Maitland Bridge, up in An? napolis Valley. And winter got tough there, and couldn't travel much. So we put up at his dad's place a month or two, till the roads opened up good in the spring. And we went at it again. So I only travelled a- bout a month with them. Played a couple little dances around, enough to get a cig? arette or something like that. Tough sled? ding, boy. That was the '30s. So I hung onto enough money to get a train. We came down to Truro and had a show, and I left there. Came home to White Point. I bought lobsters for a merchant down there, that's all. Smacking--called them smacking Keddy's Motor Inn 600 King's Rd., Sydney, N.S. 223 Rooms Air Conditioned Colour Cable TV Licensed Dining Daily Features Restaurant Hours 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Featuring Cape Breton's Only Complete Indoor Recreation Facility • • Pool • Sauna • Whirlpool Bath • Oasis Pool Bar • Games Machines ENTERTAINMENT & DANCING NIGHTLY AT IVORY'S LOUNGE For Reservations Phone 539-1140

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