Posted on October 17, 2013 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

The last vestiges of the turkey are swimming in a big pot of soup. Don’t you just love the aftermath of a turkey dinner? It’s like a gift that keeps on giving. It was such a stunning holiday weekend. It’s terrific when everyone is taking a breather and really enjoying the down time with friends and family. And when the weather cooperates, it’s a big bonus.

Am I the only one who suffered mild embarrassment, bordering on humiliation, taking part in a school concert or play in elementary school? Not likely. Something caught my eye the other day about a friend who had her big singing debut in school that went badly. She had a “wardrobe malfunction” …. not quite like the one Janet Jackson had years ago at the Super Bowl. Her clothes were too big and you can probably guess the rest. Using the soundtrack from the “Sound of Music,” as the backdrop for this story, I have put together the sad tale of one youngster whose dreams died on the auditorium stage. It is called ” If The Shoe Fits” and I will be posting this on Saturday.

My long suffering editor ( Betty ) finished editing the story I was telling you about recently. It’s about the “birds and the bees” and a mother’s anguish about answering a difficult question posed by her son. I can’t give you the title because you will go scurrying to the dictionary. So, I will keep you in suspense until next week. I think it’s one of my personal favorites so far because it deals with a subject near and dear to parents. How do you answer those questions about body parts and procreation? I sincerely wish I could tell you what our principal at the time told us back in the ’60’s during our one and only “sex education” class. It’s not fit for mixed company.

I have received a number of book orders so far and with Christmas just around the corner ( I can’t believe I said that ), it might be a gift idea. Only $15. a book ( no taxes ) or 2 for $30! A limit of 100 books per person. Let me know if you want me to put one aside for you… or several. I will autograph them for you.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Posted on October 15, 2013 under Storytelling with 2 comments

The way we conduct business transactions today leaves me speechless by times.  We truly live in a cashless society.  When was the last time that you made a purchase of any significance and hauled out a wad of bills?  Even cheques are becoming obsolete.  Touch screens and barcodes and chips are all the rage and it seems that, almost every day, a new way to pay finds its way into the market place.

I have become acutely aware of this as I recently purchased “square technology.”  This is a system that uses a small device that attaches to your cell phone or iPad, enabling people to buy things from you, wherever you are, using their credit cards.  Look around the Farmer’s Market this weekend and you’ll see what I mean.  The software generates an electronic receipt that arrives in the customer’s inbox within moments of the transaction.  I have been told that this device will work anywhere, even deep in the forest.  I am not so certain that a bear would be all that interested in purchasing one of my books.

But it wasn’t always this way.

It is not all that long ago that the only way to pay for goods and services was cash or barter.  And this marketplace still survives, although sometimes out of sight of the taxman.

If the shape of business is now square, there was an iconic store in Antigonish in years gone by that utilized cylindrical technology.  The old Goodman store on the Main had an elaborate system of handling transactions.  The office was located on the second floor of the building and most of the merchandise was located on the first floor.  When a purchase was made and money tendered, the salesclerk would put an invoice and the cash in a cylindrical tube and place it inside another tubular structure.  Then physics would take over as the device was sucked up by a giant vacuum system and just like magic, the tube would arrive in the office upstairs.  Moments later, any change owing, along with a receipt, would make its way back through the labyrinth of pipes and reach its destination, landing in a receptacle containing a bag of sand to dull the sound.

When the store held its annual “White Elephant Sale” there was a lot of activity within the pipes.

And speaking of shapes, many a teenage girl bought her first bra at Goodman’s.  In most cases she would be escorted by her mother and taken to a discrete section of the store, the “foundation department”, where several experienced saleswomen would assist with the fitting.  This was done out in the open as the bra was fastened over the young girl’s outer clothing.  It is very likely that this traumatic experience spawned the birth of Victoria’s Secret.

The son of one of the employees had a part time job at the store in his teenage years.  Known as a prankster of sorts, he would occasionally buy rubber worms from the local five and dime and put them in the cylinders and beam them upstairs.  The shrieks could be heard resonating throughout the store when the contents emerged in the office above.

And one Friday evening, when the streets were bustling with shoppers, he and a friend went to the third floor, grabbed a mannequin, dressed it, opened a window and tossed it out as blood curdling yells emanated from a recording device.  Terrified pedestrians watched in horror as the life-like figure hurled to the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces.

Nowadays, you can do most of your shopping from the comfort of your own home – a different kind of vacuum.

Wherever you are, take a stroll down Main Street and experience some old-fashioned customer service.  Great stores and great staff … priceless.

Posted on October 14, 2013 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

Happy Thanksgiving Day. If you and your family are well, you have much to be thankful for.

My book is in the hands of the printer and I will have copies in my possession within the next week or so. If you live in the area, you can get one directly from me. I am working out the logistics of an e-book for those of you who live abroad. The books will also be available at the 5 to $1.00. If you go to the book tab, it will show the places and dates where I will be doing readings to support the launch of the book.

As promised, my story on the old Goodman store will appear tomorrow. It’s called “The Shape of Business.” While the pneumatic air tube system no longer exists in these parts, I am told by friends in Scotland that the technology is alive and well in some old stores over there. Many of us lament the passing of these wonderful old stores with their uneven floors and even tempered staff. Sorry. But they just don’t make many of them like this any more. Even I liked going to Margolians in Truro.

And speaking about stores, don’t you just love when there’s a sale? Not for me. It means that there will be crowds and wild eyed shoppers. A friend from Newfoundland was at a 30% sale not long ago. God love the young girl at the cash who wouldn’t know a percent from a unicorn. And I quote… ” Everything here is 30% off so you would get this $12.00 hat for, like, $6.00.”

I was thinking about the notion of retirement the other day ( not for me personally… just the notion! ). When I saw that Alice Munroe recently won a Nobel Prize for writing, I thought I would add this to my growing list of retirement strategies along with 649 tickets and Roll up the Rim.

I have a story coming up that just might be my favorite so far. I can’t tell you too much without spoiling it. I saw something on Facebook the other day. It was a word I had never seen before about a certain body part. The moment I saw it, the story crystallized. I can’t even alert you to the title nor will I put a picture with it when I publish it. Hint: it has to do with “sex education.”

Have a relaxing day.

LLL.