He was burned bad!! For ages afterwards skin peeled off the poor bugger. But we all learned a valuable lesson that day...if you want your turkey to brown up nicely you've gotta use butter!

It really was stupid! I don't know if I'd ever jumped off the high board before! I think I may have had the bellyflop of the century but I didn't care...) CANADA WON! This may not seem like a big deal nowdays but back then the Russians were the Bad Guys (we were led to believe) behind the Iron Curtain, repressing their citizens and slowly taking over the world in a cold and loveless manner! When that goal went in it was like the Free World flipping the Russian Bear the big Finger! And in some small part every kid in the Recreation Center that day took part in the first steps towards the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the eventual crumbling of the Soviet dream.

I think it was around three hundred dollars left in the account at the end of the summer. It's highly unlikely that the Town kept it for the Teen Center though...probably went on cleaning up the Curling Club for the winter season! I'm sure there was enough Coke spilled on the floors to warrant a good steaming! But so what? We showed a profit! I wish I could do that so easily these days!!

heheheh. Yep, true tale! You know how it is when a kid is visiting relatives...they'd sooner have the hairs picked off their body than sit in a house listening to adults go on and on about who knows what! After about six lifetimes I squirmed and rooted enough that I got drove out of doors...where I commenced to explore the property. The chicken pen was right outside the main house, probably twenty or thirty feet long...maybe, and fifteen or so feet wide. Home to many a hen. I swear, they were begging me to open the door for them!!

You know what? It worked! We had a great summer with lots of music and fun, dances that NO FIGHTS broke out during because the local teenage greasers were welcomed...and they did a great job at policing anyone misbehaving. Even the 'Bad Dudes' didn't get drunk and disorderly...well, at least they didn't get disorderly...not too shabby for a guy like me and a few of the 'bys (I'd hire them again in a minute! Good guys.)

I remember the lady at the Town Hall telling me that some of the the 'boys' were trouble and hard to control...always getting into mischief at school and so on. She advised me that they might not be the best candidates. What she didn't know was this...that I felt more in tune with those fellows than with some of the other 'goody two-shoes' that had also applied! And I needed some guys who could be left alone whilst I 'Networked' around town in the Municipal truck!

Indeed! I have to say that sometimes the music got a little loud at the center! I didn't care...that's the way it's supposed to be! It's only Rock 'n Roll, and I like it...love it...like...you get the picture! Besides, young reprobates can't plot any mischief if they can't hear each other shout!!

Yes, those were the days...kids from Labrador City and Wabush could come to the Carol Curling Club and inhale the smell of sport...and cigarettes...and liquor! they could also belly up to the Bar at the club, but only to get a board game or a pack of cards. We did establish a canteen of sorts as well, stocked with donations i'd managed to scrounge.

Don't misunderstand me, I've nothing against DJs and prerecorded entertainment. Also, I don't have any form or style of music that I won't or can't listen to. What I want is for whatever I'm listening to, to reflect honesty and integrity from the artist or group. What really bugs me is an obvious money grab of half arsed recordings slapped together to fleece the public. the reason I like live music is it's REAL and IMMEDIATE, complete with imperfections and mistakes...and every now and then there's a performance that's never to be equaled!

I was just thinking about that. There really were families that sang and played together. For towns that weren't very big there was a disproportionate number for talented people! I suppose it came from a real case of isolation and a need to pass the time, usually indoors while winter raged on outside...much like now here in Sculpin Tickle!