Page 28 - With Ella Smith and Joanne Donovan

ISSUE : Issue 52

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/8/1

Rosena or something. But I was thinking it was my sister. Ella: Went to school with him. (Rosena is your sister?) Joanne: Yes. But I saw a man with a turtleneck in a coffin, and I didn't know who it was. And then I'd taken that picture, and it's still in the room. And the graveyard in Neil's Harbour--he's standing up on the school step. And the graveyard is loomed right up, and he's just a black figure-- he's like a shadow. And the background is like perfect, in the picture, but he's just black. You'd think he would come out if the background did. It's scary. Even that man--I tell you what it was. Remember the time (that other fellow) went for a walk or something, and never came back? That's who I thought it was. (Do you feel strongly that what you're seeing and what you heard...?) Joanne: Real. Oh, yeah. Really real. You know, like, there's nothing. (Extraordinary.) Like dreams--just dreams, like. And some? times just a feeling. Like when (another fellow) died that time--I was just like--I don't know, I was really sick--remember how sick I got? And I was really nervous. "V Blue Heron Gift Shop ' Books • Glassware • Figurines • Woodenware • Crystal Gifts, for All Occasions BADDECK, N. S. 295-3424 INTRODUCING SON'yA FROM HYUNDAI MORE POWER THAN ANY CAR IN ITS CLASS! 2.4 L. OF OVERHEAD CAM POWER • BIGGER THAN HONDA ACCORD, TOYOTA CAMRY OR MAZDA 626 MORE ROOM MORE HEAD ROOM. MORE SHOULDER ROOM, & MORE LEG ROOM. IN FACT. OVER 10 CU. FF. LARGER THAN MOST COMPETITORS Ella; But I know, my uncle--they used to always build caskets. Over there is a big old building--over there they always built homemade caskets and that. My uncle every night--he used to work up in the barn there in the wintertime. But every night-- he'd be going different places, before he went to his house. He'd see this man. He'd meet him every night there by the barn. So finally it got so bad--he knew the man was dead. And it bothered him so much that he went to a minister. He said he told him, he said, "I don't know where to go, because people might think I'm crazy. But," he said, "I'm seeing this man every night. And he just stands up in front of me." He said, "I walk around him and he disappears. But." he said, "I know he's dead." He said, "The man must want some? thing." He said, "And he's usually holding his hands as if he wants something, or...." (No words.) No words. So he said, "The next time you go, you just say, 'May God be blessed. God be with you. What can I do for you?'" So that's what he said to him. And he never saw him (anymore). Well, my sister saw her son--numerous tim's. She said, "He used to stand by my bed." That's at first when he died, any? way. And usually around Christmastime and that, she used to see him, whether she was thinking it so much. And she said, "He used to rub my head and said, 'Don't cry. Mom. I am fine. Mom, and I'm very happy.'" Joanne: It's like, I couldn't sleep in that room, 'cause I used to tell you that I was scared. Ella: Nobody wants to sleep in that bedroom over there. And this is the place where the wall is. I don't know if you know. The wall--David still wants to dig the wall. There's nobody ever lived here before any of Settle for more. 34 STATE STREET SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA 539-471 1 .Gt?* 1.' )'*'%*? 539-4800 Mm J. A. Young & Son Maritime 'v''te Marlin fl'gYSl 181 Charlotte street OR TOLL FREE 1.800-56S-153S Sydney

Cape Breton's Magazine