38 - Sunday, December 3, 1991 — North Shore News

The helping hands of Christmas

From page 38

Me, I would’ve been satisfied if
an ashtray had been moved six in-
ches left of its former spot on the
kitchen table. That’s how I felt.

And so one is barraged by a
series of unsurprises as he wanders
from room to room till he runs
out of rooms and comes to the
end of the line where he finds
himself.

I sat down before the kitchen
table which looked like a dog had
died on it, or like some still-life
impressionistic study entitled
Bachelor Death.

As speedily as possible the front
page rattled open.and I sank into
the reports of war, vague bomb

_ threats. and disgraced politicians
that give us hope for tomorrow,
’ day by day.

I remained thus for perhaps
half an hour. The house settled
into a moody silence, the only
sound. the plates clinking in the
sink deep inside the pantry.

They were probably hungry, or
cramped from being in one posi-
tion too long.

“oo dwelt like a fly on the finan-
cial page. A short, quick, almost
“imperceptible movement that

~-could’ve easily come from the in- .

_ Side of. my own head tugged mi-

”mitely at my ear.

“I stopped reading with a slight
“jerk and phased my eyes about the
room, catching nothing in the dull
dragnet. .
| decided ! wanted a sinoke, I
* “seach out behind to where I knew
‘‘['d-left-them in my. coat, ‘hanging
on the back of my chair but then
there they were on the table, right
beside the damn ashtray.
Things like this happen to the
“person living alone. You grow to

expect theniand. groom yourself .
© be calm when they occur, for if”

ou didn’t the. whole house would
urely. dissolve and swirl. away as
f somebody had flushed it down

almost medicinal in certain sit-
ations. -. ~ ot
“Casually, almost-as if. nothing
‘had. happened, I cracked the deck
f: smokes and. shook oneé out.

- (FEATURES THE

I KitchenAid .

REFRIGERATOR

x Bottom mount freezer

* Porcelain-on-steel
interior

¥% Coil-free back

* Roller-glide porcelain
crispers

IBicouo

HOME FURNISHINGS §

1075 Reosevelt Crescent
North Vancouver

B (2 blocks behind the Avaie:; Hotel) : :

OPEN DAILY; Fri. 9-9; Sun. 12-4

985-8738_|

on the hind legs of my chair to
rustle out the matches from my
coat pocket and Jesus Blue Christ
there was something in there.

leaning back in the angle of
death, suspended in time, 1!
withdrew my fingers with glacial
speed. Eyes the size of waterbeds,
Some other fingers peeked inquir-
ingly over the tip of the pocket
with the shyness of a garter snake,
then snapped themselves in the
fashion of one who has made a
silly oversight and flipped me out
the matches (which | caught only
by reflex).

So here I] am arched out across
the kitchen like a quick-frozen
pickpocket with the bottom drop-
ping out of my pants because
There’s A Hand In My Pocket!!!

Be calm. Examine these words.
There’s A Hand In My Pocket.
There's a hand in my pocket.

So?

Where else would you expect to
find a hand? Isn't that where your
hands usually end up, especially if
they're cold? Unless of course
they have another hand to hold.

While all this cycled through my
head I strictly maintained my
far-flung freaked-out pose. As if
observing my obvious paralysis,
the hand nipped out and gently
removed the matches from my
frozen fingers.

It lit one (a feat difficult for
only one hand but I guess it was
pretty used to being just that),
and held it out, a flickering offer-
ing.

What would you do? I needed
that smoke bad. The hand lit it
and ! took a long drag. I must’ve
looked like some kind of weird,
bug-eyed gargoyle.

To be continued.

All New!! :
FISH FRYDAY

Treat yourself and your wallet
to our delicious golden
battered Fish & Chips.

299
399
3 pe. 499

Alt served with coleslaw and French
Fries. Fridays 4:30pm to closing

1 pe.
2 pe.

THRIFTY — |
THURSDAY |
Our Roast Beef dinner
with all the trimmings
for only

$349

Thursdays 4:30 p.m. to closing
Great Food, Great Value!

We're giving you plenty
of reasons to sing —

at Park Royal —

Intermediate Choir

Seymour Heights
Primary Choir

Monday
December 16th

Ham = West Vancouver

Ham

| 12 Noon

1pm

School Concert Band
Sentinel Secondary
School Orchestra

} 2pm

12 Noon

2pm

- THE TRADITION OF

Senior Choir
Maplewood
Choir

Tuesday
December 17th

West Vancouver [11 am
Secondary School
Sentinel 412 Noon
Secondary School Choir
‘West Bay
Elementary School Choir
Irwin Park

Elementary Primary Choir

CAROLS ON THE MALL

Thursday
December 12th -
lt am Carisbrooke

0 Briday
. December 13th

Silam -

Intermediate Choir {

$2Noon Braemar
Primary Choir
Sherwood
Park Choir
Ridgeway
Annex Choir

Wednesday : Thursday
December 18th

Charrwell
Elementary School Choir
West Vancouver 12. Noon
Secondary School
Lonsdale
Primary Choir
Hilkide
Middle School

December 19th

liam
The Ross
Road Singers

Cap Kids
Choir

Queensbury
Choir

NORTH MALL
PARK R YAL

So Much. So Close.

Brooksbank Choir §

1 12.Noon

Fromme :
Junior Choir,
Lynn Valley
Junior Choir.

1pm

§ 2pm

Friday
December 20...
Hollyburn | |
Elementuy
Eastview
Intermediate Choir
Ridgeview
Elem. School
Intermediate Choir!

llam
12 Noon

1pm