Home  >> Stories  >> The Tale Spinner #2019-03

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IN THIS ISSUE

• In this Heroic Story, Jennifer Saylor remembers a kind gesture
• Catherine Nesbitt forwards some ancient memories
• Barbara Wear shares the actions of some thoughtful postal workers
• Marilyn Magid sends signs with uncertain meanings
• The editor thanks all those people who sent her birthday greetings
• Barbara Wear, Catherine Nesbitt, and Tom Telfer suggest sites

Jennifer Saylor of North Carolina writes about

THE BOOKSELLER´S REMINDER

I love books, and reading means a lot to me. In my early twenties, I worked in a bookstore but made a very low wage, so I mostly checked out books I wanted to read from the library. Only on rare occasions could I dare the luxury of new or used books.

One day, having some rare extra income to spend, I visited a local independent bookstore. The store´s proprietor was a friendly, white-haired retiree named Hazel. He sat reading the paper and making friendly small talk as he smiled and glanced over black horn-rimmed glasses. His shop was rich with interesting books, and it proved an all-time lucky book-hunting day.

There were three hard-to-find books I´d dreamt of for months, as well as two paperbacks I was dying to read. Intensely pleased, I walked up to Hazel to pay. We chatted, and when he learned that I too was a bookseller, he gave me a "colleague" discount.

When I opened my chequebook, the bomb dropped. I´d just used my last cheque at the grocery store; I never carried cash, and had no credit cards. I had no way to pay for the books, and no clue where to find an ATM nearby.

Miserably, I realized I´d have to put the books on hold, where they might languish days or weeks until I could return. My heart sank to think that my newly-found treasures wouldn´t be in my hands that evening, if ever. When you find a prize you want it then, especially when you´re young, in a hurry, and have few material pleasures.

Explaining to Hazel that I had no way to pay, I asked him to please keep the books on hold until my return. "Don´t worry about it," he said. "You can pay me later."

What I said right then I no longer recall. I did thank Hazel sincerely, and the books came home with me. At my apartment, I sent Hazel a cheque and enclosed a note thanking him for what he had done.

I was born in the sixties, an era where people seemed to trust one another less than before. I´d thought I had missed an innocent world: a world of unchaperoned kids making morning rounds with the town milkman, and candy stores with one-cent goodies. I´d thought that innocence was gone forever.

But it wasn´t. Hazel probably wouldn´t have suffered greatly if I´d never paid up, but he didn´t have to make a gesture of trust in a disappointed young woman, letting her leave with books she wanted with all her heart.

Some of the innocence of "the good old days" is still with us. I am reminded of it every time I look at my bookshelf.

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Catherine Nesbitt recalls

ANCIENT MEMORIES

I was asked the following question the other day, "What was your favourite ´fast food´ when you were growing up?"

"We didn´t have fast food when I was growing up," I informed him. "All the food was slow."

"C´mon, seriously.... Where did you eat?"

"It was a place called home," I explained. "Mum cooked every day, and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table. And if I didn´t like what she put on my plate, I was allowed to sit there until I did like it."

By this time, the lad was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn´t tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table.

But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I´d figured his system could have handled it:

Some parents NEVER owned their own house, never wore jeans, never set foot on a golf course, travelled out of the country, or had a credit card.

My parents never drove me to school. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and had only one speed (slow).

There was only one petrol - no choice of 91, 95 or 98.

We didn´t have a television in our house until I was 10. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at 10:00 p.m., after playing the national anthem and epilogue; it came back on the air at about 6:00 a.m. And there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people.

Pizzas were not delivered to our home ... but milk was.

All newspapers were delivered by boys, and all boys delivered newspapers. The "boy" had to get up at 6:00 every morning.

Film stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the films. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or almost anything offensive.

If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don´t blame me if they bust a gut laughing.

Growing up isn´t what it used to be, is it?

Barbara Wear forwards this story about

KIND POSTAL WORKERS

There was a man who worked for the post office whose job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day, a letter came addressed in a shaky handwriting to God, with no address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about.

The letter read: "Dear God, I am an 83-year-old widow, living on a very small pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension cheque. Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. Can you please help me? Sincerely, Edna."

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars.

By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which they put into an envelope and sent to the woman.

The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.

Christmas came and went.

A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God.

All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read: "Dear God, How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.

"By the way, there was $4.00 missing. I think it must have been those bastards at the post office!"

Marilyn Magic forwarded these typos:

DID I READ THAT SIGN RIGHT?

TOILET OUT OF ORDER. Please use floor below.

IN A LAUNDROMAT:

Automatic washing machines. Please remove all your clothes when the light goes out.

IN A LONDON DEPARTMENT STORE:

Bargain basement on 2nd floor.

IN AN OFFICE:

Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken.

IN AN OFFICE:

After tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.

OUTSIDE A SECOND-HAND STORE

We exchange anything - bicycles, washing machines, etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?

NOTICE IN HEALTH FOOD SHOP WINDOW

Closed due to illness.

SPOTTED IN A SAFARI PARK (I sure hope so.)

Elephants - please stay in your car.

SEEN DURING A CONFERENCE

For anyone who has children and doesn´t know it, there is a day care on the 1st floor.

NOTICE IN A FARMER´S FIELD

The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges.

MESSAGE ON A LEAFLET

If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons.

ON A REPAIR SHOP DOOR

We can repair anything. (Please knock hard on door - as the bell doesn´t work.)

Proofreading is a dying art, wouldn´t you say?

FROM THE EDITOR´S DESKTOP

Thank you to all the kind readers who sent cards and good wishes on the occasion of my 97th birthday. They helped make the day very special.

The well-wishers include Ann Kemp, Brigitte Patheiger, Carol Hansen, Carol McQuarrie, Catherine Nesbitt, Dennis Monbourquette, Irene Harvalias, Jackie Stevens, Jay Sansum, Judith English, Juliana McCorison, Kate Brookfield, Marilyn Magid, Mike Yeager, Norma Patterson, Rafiki, Stan French, and Verda and Stan Cook.

To all of you I send my thanks, and best wishes for your birthday, whenever it is. May the New Year be very good to you!

SUGGESTED SITES

Barbara Wear forwards the URL for a video of Japanese New Year fireworks featuring spherical pyrotechnics:

Catherine Nesbitt forwards the URL for an America´s Got Talents show

Tom Telfer shares an Andre Rieu video on Facebook:

After being diagnosed with Alzheimers, 81-year-old Ron Robert decided to enrol in university to see if education could keep the disease at bay: