I had a surprise visit from someone on Tuesday who’s path I had crossed a few times since high school.
Glenn lives along the Bonnechere River all alone as his wife passed not that many years ago but far too soon to lose a lifelong partner. Today I saw him in another light, an example of what an exemplary grandfather is.
His daughter, her husband and two granddaughters live in Whitewater Region. The family had plans to go camping for a few days. The youngest had started a summer job at Whitewater Breweries and today was a workday for her. So the others wouldn’t have to disrupt their camping plans – Glenn to the rescue. He came in time to drive his granddaughter to work and would later pick her up at 10 pm when her shift ended.
After leaving her at the brewery, he decided to travel roads in this area simply because he wasn’t familiar with the area. He said, “I was impressed with Grant Settlement Road and all the big houses on it.” He drove through Lapasse, down Bromley Line and ended up on the new street beside my place. He is a perceptive guy and even noticed the house of Marie Zettler. Like anyone who is anyone, he knows of Marie’s writing skills in various newspapers.
He knocked on the door so loudly my heart pounded. I thought it might be someone with a complaint regarding the Westmeath Cenotaph conflict. In the event it was, I sent Sheila to see who was knocking.
We sat on the veranda talking of old times, reminiscing how we had met the third time at Pembroke General Hospital a few years ago. It was there he told me of his wife, who I knew also, and how cancer had taken her. We exchanged emails.
Since then, I invited him to the Westmeath Hall twice, the first time to see a presentation by the Cobden Community Players, the first one away from their home stage. It happened to be on the evening of the 2019 Ottawa River flood, consequently not a good turnout for an excellent theatrical comedy.
The next time was to see a Murder Mystery performance, ‘Murder at Curst Mansion’ by the Riverside Social Seniors Club, of which I was one of the characters in it. Asking what he thought of the show, he only remarked, “I thought you would have introduced me to a single lady or two.” I told him that actors don’t understand the basic things in life.
After three years of technical college, I worked at Eddie Match Company for the summer until taking a full-time job in West Toronto. Glenn was already working at that firm and remembered me from high school. We started hanging out. He was dating a nursing student, convenient for me to meet a few of her friends. His girlfriend was the one he married in a ceremony in Orillia. I had moved on to another company before that.
Later on the couple moved back to Pembroke to raise their two children. Glenn had a job offer from Eddy Match – where I had worked before he got there. Another coincidence!
As I walked him to his car, he was admiring the new side street that had the drain curbs finished but not yet the paving. The sidewalk was accommodate the children attending Our Lady of Grace school. I’m certain it will be the nicest street in the Township. I’ve had a couple of offers on my house since the street was improved. The school has an outstanding reputation for accommodating students with special needs. A new crosswalk will be the finishing touch.
Somehow, he brought up the Dumanior name because of friends from Deep River. I excitedly said, “Glenn, see that empty space with the fence around it. That was Count Dumanior’s house for many years. The school bought it for more schoolyard space. I saw the house being torn down from my side window there.”
When Sheila and I drove to Barry’s Bay for our vaccination shots, we passed fairly close to Glenn’s house. Thoughts of the past experiences came to mind.
Then he unexpectedly came to visit in the starring role of a kind grandfather.
