Page 99 - "Is Your Father Dead Yet"? with Allan MacDougall of "Hughie & Allan"

ISSUE : Issue 63

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/6/1

Every area, we ran into people that decided they would do the same thing.... And we did some shows in Toronto with a girl by the name of Dinah Christie.... In fact, that's the last show Hu? ghie and I did together was on one of her shows. We did it in Toronto. We got on the plane the next morning to come home. It was in the win? tertime; Hughie had an overcoat on. Got in the plane, and I took my overcoat off, and he just went and sat on the seat. And I said, "Take off your over? coat, boy," I said. "You're going to be warm." "I'm too sick, Allan," he said. I said, "Well, I'll help you, I'll take it." "No," he said, "I'm sore. Everything is aching. I'm sick. Really sick. I was never sick in my life," he said, "and I don't know what's wrong with me." We got home. And I didn't see him for a couple or three days. And I called up, and Eleanor said, "He's not feeling too bad. He's coming out of it all right. I guess it was the flu or something that he had." And then it was the--like I told you be? fore. We were supposed to go somewhere. And I called. He said. "I can't go. I'm sick." She called the doctor; the doctor called the ambulance. Took him to the City Hospital. The next day they sent him to the V. G. And he died that night. I talked to the nurse. I went and found her. I was in Halifax doing a show, and I found the nurse that was with him. She said, "I was getting him ready for bed." You know, like they do. You've been in a hospital, I guess, yourself. After supper they get you all washed up and everything. fix up your bed? clothes. She said, "I was getting him ready. And he told me a couple of stories. I said to him, 'You're Hughie of Hughie and Allan.' He said, 'Yeah, I'm the guy.' Said, 'Did you hear about the nurse that did this'"--he told her a story. Then he told her another story. "And," she said, "I walked away laughing." She said, "I'll be right back. I'm going to get you another blanket." She went in to get a blanket, and there were a couple of nurses there, and she told them the two stories. She said, "Come on out--he might tell us some more." She came back out--he was dead. Just laid back and died. Said he was telling her stories. Told her two stories. (In a way that's very nice.) Yeah.... (You still can't figure out what you'rel doing here, can you?) Allan laughs. Hughie used to come up--I was in the hos? pital 6 months. He used to come up at least 4 nights a week. And sit with me, for, oh--and the nurses never bothered him. You know, he's supposed to go when the bell rings at 9 o'clock, and they wouldn't pay any attention. Say, "Your old buddy is here with you, Allan, we won't have to come back for awhile." Sit there talking till 10 o'clock. And, God, I was the most surprised guy in the world when I called and he said he couldn't go to Truro with me because he was sick.... I could have been hit with a stick, and it wouldn't have bothered me any more. ALLAN CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE Our tiianks to tlie Allan MacDougall family for their help and en? couragement towards sharing this story. And thanks to Peter Dockwrey for permission to use his cartoon of Hughie and Al? lan. And to Pat Chafe and Kinnon Beaton for their tunes. Thanks to lUlike Sullivan for the photo of his father and the bus. Photos of Hughie and Allan together in costume were taken by Reg Morrison, Bertha's brother, out at Barney Peters' farm on Mira Road. Photo of Allan in costume (page 83) is by Warren Gordon. Photo of Allan at the Savoy Theatre (page 95) is by Ow? en Fitzgerald. Reading jokes is one thing. Hearing them is quite another. Allan has prepared a tape taken from 28 years of performances by Hu? ghie MacKenzie and himself • Hughie and Allan. You can get it by writing to Allan MacDougall directly at 142 Grove Street, Syd? ney, Nova Scotia BIP 3N2. Send $12 for each cassette, which in? cludes postage and packaging. FIRE & BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEMS C/W 24-HOUR MONITORING COMMERCIAL TELEPHONE SYSTEMS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING nWc ij'coin's Alarm, Telecom & Electrical"" 171 Dorchester Street SYDNEY 539'391 Anywhere in Cape Breton Island Gas Tank Replacements & Repairs For Personal Efficient Service: Call 564-6699 Sydney Radiator New Heaters & Radiators or Repairs We Service and Ship 121 Prince Street, Sydney Anywhere on cape Breton Island 20 Years a Family Business 2 Years Warranty on All Parts * We Accept VISA & MASTERCARD 99

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