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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • AUGUST 2017 Henderson’s mishap is no laughing matter When we left off last time,


Kenneth Henderson was convinced he had broken his leg after his encounter with one of the steer calves. Deborah, Ashley and Clay were soon joined by Newt and


Chronicles by BOB COLLINS


Christopher to assess the situation. As the paramedics lifted him into the ambulance, he grimaced, “Augh, Janice.” Rural Redemption, part 89, continues:


The name Janice repeated


itself over and over in Deborah’s mind. Like a song lyric you aren’t particularly fond of that sometimes keeps running through your head all day. Why would he be thinking of Janice at a time like this? Maybe he was confused by


the nitrous oxide. Yes, probably the nitrous. She wasn’t his secretary


anymore and as far as Deborah knew, he hadn’t seen Janice since the New Year’s party at the hotel on the West Coast. Wasn’t it odd that they’d bumped into her there?


But that whole trip had been odd.


Kenneth was unusually distant and they stayed at a bed and breakfast place even though she knew he made a reservation at the fancy hotel on the beach. She drew a deep breath and finally admitted the doubts that had niggled at


Woodshed


her for the past two years were probably true. Doubts she had suppressed and ignored but couldn’t quite explain away. What she knew for sure was that there was no love left in their marriage. She didn’t love him anymore. It was a


guiltless admission


because she knew he didn’t love her either. Though they still slept in the same bed, emotionally there were light years between them. A distance that even simple affection could no longer span. A distance that would inevitably intersect with other orbits. Her own affections had collided with Doug McLeod and had been reciprocated. Why wouldn’t it be the same for Kenneth and Janice Newberry?


Reality check The ambulance was gone


and Ashley pulled Deborah from her reverie. “Are you alright, Mom? The


fire department guys are leaving.” Jimmy Vincent loomed out


of the fire truck headlights. “You all set then, Missus? If


there’s nothing more we can do for you, I think we’ll be off home to our suppers.” “We’re fine, Mr. Vincent.


Please thank everyone for their help. It is much appreciated.” “Will do,” said Jimmy, turning away. “Oh, by the way, Harriet’s still lurking around in the shadows. She


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probably wants to ask you some questions. Do you want me to run her off?” “Perhaps not quite in


those words but yes, thank you.”


“Never fear, ma’am, I’m the soul of discretion. You can ask anyone if that’s not the gospel truth,” said Jimmy as he held his hand up and strode away. “C’mon, Harriet. Let’s leave these folks to their own business, shall we?” “I just have a few questions


I need to ask,” said Harriet. “Let’s not and say we did,” said Jimmy. “Tell you what. You follow me back to the fire hall and I’ll tell you about the time my Uncle Tony nearly ran away with the pretty waitress from the diner in town.” “What pretty waitress?” “The one that pretty near run off with Uncle Tony.” “First I ever heard of it,” said Harriet sceptibly. “Well, then, it’s all news to


you, huh?” The fire truck chugged


down the driveway as Harriet Murray weighed her options. She looked into the rainy night, then climbed into her car and headed for the fire hall. When it came right down to it, a good old- fashioned scandal was better than a broken leg anytime.


***


Deborah suggested they all head for the house and get out of the rain. Newt said he’d better be off because he still had a few chores to tend to. Christopher said he should head for the barn and get the veal calves fed. Clay said that he should probably


be on his way because his aunt would be wondering what had become of him. Ashley implored him to phone Edna from the house so that she would have a chance to properly introduce him to her mother. Deborah was connecting the dots as Ashley spoke. Clay, she realized, was the nephew that Edna had spoken of weeks ago. Somehow, the tall handsome young man that seemed to have mesmerized her daughter wasn’t what she’d expected. She’d thought he might be someone who could go bike riding with Christopher. She asked him to the house where he could dry off and she could thank him properly and see for herself just what kind of trouble Ashley was letting herself in for. In the house, Clay phoned Edna and explained his absence, then went to wash his hands and dry his hair. Ashley stood staring at the


doorway after he left. “He’s the nicest person,


Mom. You’ll really like him.” “I’m sure I will but he’s an


awful lot older than you are, honey.” “He’s 19, Mom. Just.” “You’re only 16.” “And a half. I’m practically 17 and he’s barely 19. That’s like one year older.” “No, honey, it’s nearly


three years older and that’s a lot when you’re 16.” “Isn’t Daddy three years older than you?” “That’s different.” “Really, Mom? How is it


different?” “I just don’t want you get


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your hopes up and end up getting hurt. You’ve just met him. For all you know he has a girlfriend.” Ashley shook her head and


gave Deborah a bemused smile.


“I don’t know if he has a


girlfriend but I do know he’s dating.” A wave of relief swept over Deborah. “Well, there you are. He seems like a very responsible young man. He probably has a girlfriend back home.” Ashley shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m pretty


sure he’s dating someone from around here.” “Anyone you know?” “Yup, you know her, too.” Deborah was about to ask who when Clay walked back into the room.


Sourpuss


Kenneth turned his ambulance ride into one long profane tirade. The paramedics were subjected to a comprehensive list of grievous affronts that Kenneth had endured at the hands of the whole stupid pack of two-bit hicks and in- bred bumpkins that surrounded him. The paramedics started to feel like he was lumping them in with all the rest. Halfway to the hospital, they rolled their eyes, pulled the respirator mask back over his face and turned on the laughing gas. At the fire hall, Harriet


Murray pumped Jimmy Vincent for details about how his Uncle Tony almost ran off with the pretty waitress from the diner. “Golly, Harriet, I’m surprised you never heard. It was 20 years ago anyway. Must’a happened right under your nose. They were at the community picnic and that pretty gal from the diner entered the three-legged race with her boyfriend who got into Romeo Ciccone’s dandelion wine and passed out, so she asked Uncle Tony if he’d give it a whirl. Tony was off like a shot but they got all tripped up before the finish line. Everyone said he came within a whisker of running right off with her!”


Mark Driediger, CFP, Senior Wealth Advisor Assante Financial Management Ltd. www.MarkDriediger.com | (604) 859-4890


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