Life in Dartmouth: September 15,2008
On a recent night while at my laptop, overlooking Killgee Gate, my attention was drawn to a car pulling two thirds way round the corner stop sign to drop off the 16ish kid from across the street, practice football gear in hand. In the car a woman and another 16ish male watched as the discharged crossed the street to what I know to be his townhouse. To my surprise the car remains still until he is inside, door closed, safe.
A couple days later, it's 6:30 AM, I am walking down Princess Margaret Boulevard to catch the bus to work. Across the boulevard, approaching the MacKay bridge underpass, a man in his twenties, 10-15 feet or so ahead of me, is challenged by a charging black Lab. Dog tags are rattling, vicious and intimidating barking, but tail wagging. The young man wisely stands still. He lowers a hand , palm up, as the Lab charges. The Lab is subdued. Story over? No! The young man coaxes the dog back across the boulevard to the only lighted townhouse. While crossing, we exchange words about the ownership and age of the dog. I continue on and turn after a few steps to see the young man knock on the lighted townhouse door. I continue on knowing this dog has met an angel.
Today, while waiting for the bus, a father and his son, whom I have had conversations with before and lives 'in my hood', settled in on the sidewalk next to me. The little guy, maybe 3, was scolded for throwing rocks. To atone he hugs his sitting father by the neck. He is immediately pushed away. The look is instant rejection, a rutted brow a little boy is undeserving of. But he recovers. A moment later the scene is repeated. In my mind I phrase the words to say to the father, but mute them. Moments later we are on the bus. Father and son sit at the back, thigh to thigh like one pair of jeans, indistingushible except for size.
This is life, for better for worse, for richer for poorer. Just watch!!
By Garth Wickens
