Page 5 - Margaret Neil James - A Love Story

ISSUE : Issue 60

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/6/1

family at home. And if I can't see what they're doing, at least I can tell them what to do. And I'll take my chances." But one eye affected the other. And I re? member the first time I knew he was blind. See, on account of him being hurt, he hid it on my mother. Because he didn't go to- 'tartlrjr'iLlind at one time. He got blind over a length of'tlme. But see, he had crutch? es. And we'd be helping him. So, he didn't have to go too far, and he was quite fa? miliar with everything. So, he could see out of the side of his eye first. And then one day I was home--oh, several years after that--I was home with him and I was sick. And I said, "Daddy, I'd love to have a drink of water." And he said, "Well, there's no water in, dear, but it won't be long before there will be." And he took the bucket, and he went to the spring to get some water. And whatever happened--he used to count the steps, you know. And whatever happened to him, whether he was excited over the fact that I was sick and I wanted a drink of water and he was hurrying--he missed the gate. And he kept up the road. And he got astray. And he couldn't get him- mself back home. BUILDING A BUSINESS DREAM! Y J.OU Lou provide the talent and we'll provide the tools. At Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, we have a variety of programs designed to help you build your business dream. If that dream is to: • start a new enterprise • expand an existing one • develop new markets, the Gorporation's unique assistance programs and the Action Program of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) are ready to work in partnership with you to reach those goals. Whether you are in agriculture, forestry, small business, fisheries, tourism or craft development, we want to hear your ideas for our Island's future. CaU our toll-free number or drop by our office. Let us put your talent to work I if Enterprise ? Breton poration Capei Corpo Sydney: P.O. Box 1750 Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6T7 Tel: (902) 564-3600 1-800-565-9460 (in Nova Scotia) Bilingual service available Port Hawkesbury: P. O. Box 610 Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia BOE 2V0 Tel: (902) 625-3111 Canada So he was hollering. And I heard the hollering, and I went out. I went over and I told him to come back down, "You're too far up. Come back down." So I went to meet him at the gate and I took him home. And I said, "How come you did that. Daddy?" He said. Well, I'm blind, dear. But don't tell your mother. As long as I can keep it from her, she's got enough worries on her shoulders without that." He said, "I can see a little brightness out of the side of the eye, but that's about it." He said, "I used to coint my steps. But that's our secret. Now. don't you tell anybody else." So he was quite awhile before Mum realized that he was really to? tally blind. He didn't want to give her any more of a burden than she had. I was very close to my father. Yeah. I liked old people. It was nothing for me to go visiting just where there were old people, or some old man or something. Stay and have the tea with them. There was an old guy down home, Angus Mac? Kinnon. And we used to deliver the Sunday Vis? itor. And you'd get 2 cents for every Visitor you'd deliver. But you'd get a good cup of tea out at Angus's! I'd walk all that way out

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