Welcome To The July 2019 Issue Of Story Quilt!

 
Glory Be.

It's another long week-end in Canada.

CANADA DAY

Yesterday I experienced a first. I hired a young lad to help me with weeding. Michael is his name. I only had his name and his E-Mail address written on a card which he had left with my wife some months ago. It simply read: Any Task.

Now of course it was a gamble in my mind. What kind of a person was Michael going to be? Would he be a guy addicted to his cell phone? Would he take short-cuts and lots of water breaks? My son was skeptical about me hiring anyone unseen but then he, my son would never weed the back quarter of our yard which needed attention. Badly. He loves nature's abundance too much even if it is the aggressive but beautiful thistle, golden rod or dandelion. These were already in a position to take over.

Michael arrived on time rolling down the street on a long skate board. I told him what needed to be done and he listened. Politely. And quietly set about the task. Weeds came out carefully dug out with full roots not rushed and broken off. He collected the plants and stuffed them into the bin I had provided. His work was steady and thorough. I was impressed. He was equipped with gloves and mosquito spray ready for the job. He put tools back where they belonged after he was done. All these things I registered as positive. I will hire him again. Absolutely.

But I could not resist asking him whether he was in school (grade eleven) and what his plans were. He admitted that he had taken extra summer courses so he was almost ready to graduate. I liked that. In conversation he volunteered he was a first generation Canadian his parents having immigrated to Canada from the Ukraine. He clearly was proud of the fact that he was “First Generation Canadian”. How appropriate I thought exactly on Canada Day weekend.

And then it occurred to me. I am also a “First Generation Canadian” my father having immigrated into Canada in 1922/3 also from the area now called The Ukraine. How coincidental is that?

 

 

Ed Janzen