Page 89 - "Is Your Father Dead Yet"? with Allan MacDougall of "Hughie & Allan"

ISSUE : Issue 63

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/6/1

trucks--four or five trucks and drivers-- and they delivered it from there. Just kept a record of where they went and the mile? age, and the amount of gas they used, and all the little details that you wouldn't bother with now. Hughie was over there and I was here. We talked back and forth all day. It all start? ed there, you know, "Allan, do you remem? ber that queer old fellow that used to drive a horse-and- wagon hauling coal?" or something like that, you know, and we'd go into it. "Well, he told a funny story one day," and then bang! And I'd think of him. First thing we knew, in the army--a party was called a smoker. You went to one of the outfits' mess hall, and they just moved the tables back--and had a bash. Somebody could play some music, and some? body could sing, and first thing, somebody came in and, "How about you two fellows coming up and telling some of those stories that you're firing back and forth at one another here." "Who the hell was telling you that?" "Well, some of our boys heard." So...we started cooking up stories and thinking of ones away back that we heard. And we started telling stories down there, and we were getting a good reaction, and it just went on and on like that. And when I came out (of the Army, 1945, Mike Sullivan) had sold out to Manning from Hal? ifax, who owned Acadian Lines. And they had built that terminal on Bentinck Street. The downstairs part off George is where they Allan: I felt kind of bad. Poor old Aunt Sarah died and we buried her on the hill behind the bam. put all the buses and repaired them, and the upstairs was a waiting room and--the ramp where the buses come in and go out. So I came back and--took a couple of weeks off, just staying home and doing a few things around, and taking it easy. And then I went down. So, it's strange how things work out, too. (This other Hughie: Why'dcha bury her there? Allan: She was dead. Hughie: Aw, she was kinda queer anyhow, wasn't she? Allan: Queer?... She said, "If I'll die" • and the poor soul was on the way out then • she said, "If I'll die, I want six women pallbearers." She said, "The fellows wouldn't take me out when I was liv? ing • 'they're not taking me out when I'm dead." fellow) had taken a job there when I was in the Army. He couldn't get in the Army on account of bad leg or some? thing. And he was there looking after all the buses and the drivers and all that, and he was dispatcher for the company. And when I came back he said, "You came back just in the right time, Al? lan," he said. "I tried to get on the po? lice force twice," he said, "and I didn't make it. And here I got a notice the other day that I can start the first of the MACAULAY'S FORD MERCURY SALES LIMITED BADDECK • 295-2500 PARTS LEASING Your Vacation Centre ' Ihddeck - goUs, silver - UilhgcQ'Shop Celtic Jewellery - Clan items Folk Arts E Craft Supplies ~ Scottish Jams, Teas E Oatcakes ~ Cape Breton Music ~ Souvenirs, too! ' Chebucto St. Baddeck (902) 295-2881 "HIGH WHEELER Cafe * Deli Bakery rtQ' oftnc • I - • -' QDaily Specials * Excellent Eating' ENJOY THE DECK IN THE HEART OF BADDECK! Baddeck Ambulance Service Dunlop's DIXON'S SATELLITE SYSTEAAS All Your SATELLrrE & CELLULAR Needsl BADDECK • 295-3208 ?? 24 HOUR SERVICE I Serving Baddeck & Surrounding Areas IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 65 YEARS • QUALIFIED AHENDANTS* veil plus Boards & Programming • Rent • Lease-to-Own from $49.99/month O.A.C. CELLULAR PHONES & CANTEL AIRTIME AMBULANCE - 295-236< Baddeck: The Beginning and End of the Cabot Trail

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