Antiques in Burlington and The Boat That Went Away

MY OWN INDIANA JONES ADVENTURE -

WHERE THIS COLLECTING THING BEGAN - THEY CALL ME BIG-FOOT

A SIDEBAR FOR TODAY'S ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE BLOG, IS THE FACT THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL SONG, AS WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY THE LOCAL GROUP, "PRESSURE POINT" IS NEARING 1,100 TOTAL VIEWS OVER TWO ONLINE SITES; THE SONG WITH A STATIC PHOTOGRAPH OF SKOKIE (THE MASCOT WINTER CARNIVAL OTTER) HAS REACHED CLOSE TO 300 VISITS, AND THE SITE WITH THE ACTUAL MUSIC VIDEO IS NOW NEARING 800 VIEWS, IN JUST OVER A WEEK SINCE IT WAS POSTED ON YOUTUBE. THE GROUP, WHO DID THE MUSIC VIDEO AND SONG, AS A DONATION TO THE GRAVENHURST WINTER CARNIVAL COMMITTEE, IS COMPOSED OF LEAD SINGER, DANI O'CONNOR, AARON BINDER, ROB CURRIE, ANDREW CURRIE, WITH BACK UP VOCALS BY RAY PARSONS AND JON O'CONNOR. SKOKIE WAS PLAYED BY CHRIS O'CONNOR IN THE MUSIC VIDEO. THE HOPE IS, THAT THE POPULAR VIDEO WILL HELP MARKET THE ANNUAL WINTER CARNIVAL, AND INCREASE ATTENDANCE OVER THE THREE DAYS IN LATE FEBRUARY. YOU CAN VIEW THE MUSIC VIDEO BY CLICKING ONTO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuwE6cFlRCg

IT'S TRUE. I'M NOT PARTICULARLY HAIRY, AND THAT INCLUDES MY HEAD, ARMS AND LEGS, AND I DON'T JUMP OUT OF THICK WOODS TO SCARE UNSUSPECTING HIKERS. SO WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER CALLS ME BIG-FOOT, IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE ONE FOOT WIDER THAN THE OTHER. NO, THIS WAS NOT A NATURAL CONDITION. IT WAS HOWEVER, THE FIRST SIGN OF THE COLLECTOR-ME, AND AN EARLY CROSS-ROADS BETWEEN BEING AN HONEST COLLECTOR, AND A TOMB RAIDER. ONE INCIDENT, ONE ACCIDENT, LED ME TO TAKE THE ROAD TOWARD HONESTY, AS A FUTURE COLLECTOR. I THINK OF THIS EVERY TIME I TRY ON A NEW PAIR OF SHOES. IT'S NOT EASY OUTFITTING MY FEET, AND THAT'S BEEN A REALITY FOR ABOUT A HALF CENTURY. HERE'S HOW I BECAME SUDDENLY MISSHAPEN.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY READERS, SOME WHO ARE ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE ENTHUSIASTS, AND EVEN DEALERS, SPEND MUCH TIME ANALYZING HOW THEIR INTERESTS IN THE FIELD BEGAN. AS I WROTE IN YESTERDAY'S BLOG, I KNOW THAT HANGING AROUND IN MOM AND POP CORNER VARIETY STORES, IN MY PERIOD OF THE 60'S AND EARLY 70'S, PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN ATTRACTING ME TO THE ANTIQUE PROFESSION. BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THE SEEDS WERE PLANTED LONG BEFORE THIS, DURING THE PERIOD MY FAMILY LIVED ON A TIDY LITTLE CUL-DE-SAC IN THE CITY OF BURLINGTON, ONTARIO. THIS WAS MY INITIAL FORAY AS A HUNTER-GATHERER, AND THERE WERE FEW DAYS GOING TO AND FROM LAKESHORE PUBLIC SCHOOL, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE FRISKED AT THE DOOR AT BOTH ENDS OF THE JOURNEY…… TRYING TO GET IN THE SCHOOL WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF PROHIBITED ITEMS, AND THEN AGAIN AT HOME, ATTEMPTING TO SNEAK PAST MY MOTHER, WITH EVERYTHING IN MY POCKETS FROM CHESTNUTS, TO LIVESTOCK…..FROGS, INSECTS I FOUND NEAT, AND SUNDRY OTHER BITS AND BOBBS FOUND ON, AND ALONGSIDE THE ROADS, TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I HAD DEEP POCKETS. I KNOW MY MOTHER MERLE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY PENCHANT FOR HAULING STUFF HOME, AND I'M SURE SHE RAN IT BY HER NEIGHBOR FRIENDS…."WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY BOY. HE'S CRAZY WITH WHAT HE BRINGS HOME." WITHOUT QUESTION, I DID BRING SOME ODD THINGS HOME. NOTHING STRANGER HOWEVER THAN THE LEGENDARY NEIGHBORHOOD RELIC KNOWN AS THE "GOOLAGONG." (NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TENNIS PLAYER). HERE'S HOW THAT DEAL WENT DOWN.

RAY GREEN AND I WERE NOT IN A GANG. WE WERE BOTH PACIFISTS. KIDS THAT ADORED BEING OUTDOORS AND PLAYING ALONG THE BANK OF OLD RAMBLE CREEK, THAT RAN THROUGH THE SIDE LOTS OF THE HARRIS CRESCENT PROPERTIES, ONE MAJOR BLOCK FROM THE SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO…..ABOUT THREE BLOCKS FROM BRANT STREET, THE MAIN DRAG. RAY AND HIS SISTER HOLLY, WERE PART OF OUR LITTLE GANG….IF YOU COULD CALL IT THAT AT ALL. WELL, THERE WAS A SMALL GATHERING OF KIDS, WHO HAD BUILT A BOX CLUBHOUSE, NEAR A CLUSTER OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS, ON THE END OF THE HYDRO POWER LINE, ALSO ADJACENT TO RAMBLE CREEK. THEIR PLYWOOD ENCAMPMENT WASN'T TOO FAR FROM THE BORDER OF LION'S CLUB PARK. RAY HAD SOME INSIDE INFORMATION, THAT THESE LADS HAD A SPECIAL COLLECTION OF HAND HELD DEVICES, THAT HAD SOME AMAZING POWER ATTACHED. LIKE SOMETHING A WIZARD WOULD USE TO TURN AN OPPONENT INTO A HORNY TOAD OR SOMETHING. I WAS EASILY LED AS A YOUNGSTER, RAY BEING MY SVENGALI, I SUPPOSE. SO WHEN HE SUGGESTED THAT WE COULD BE MASTERS OF THIS DOMAIN, BY HAVING THOSE MAGICAL WEAPONS, HE CALLED "GOOLAGONGS," WHO WAS I TO ARGUE WITH WHAT RAY FELT WAS OUR DESTINY OF WORLD DOMINATION. I THINK I WAS PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME. I KNEW THERE WERE MONSTERS UNDER THE BED, AND I DARESAY IN THE CLOSET AS WELL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS CONFLICTED IN LOVE WITH A CLASSMATE NAMED DONNA. I STALKED HER DAILY. SHE DIDN'T KNOW I WAS ALIVE, EXCEPT WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY STEPPED ON HER SHOES, WHEN I GOT TOO CLOSE. SO WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE IN RECIPROCAL LOVE, I RE-INVESTED INSTEAD, IN THIS HUGE ADVENTURE WITH MY CHILDHOOD CHUM.

SO, WITH STEALTH AND COMMITMENT, TO PREVAIL OVER THESE NEIGHBORHOOD TOUGHS, RAY AND I SNUCK UP ON THEIR CLUBHOUSE, USING THE AMPLE SHRUBBERY OF THE CREEK BASIN, TO CONCEAL OUR APPROACH. RAY HAD ALREADY OBSERVED THE GANG LEAVING THE FORT, AND CALCULATED WE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE THE RAID, SECURE THE GOOLAGONGS, AND BEAT A HASTY RETREAT BACK INTO THE WOODLANDS. TO GET ACCESS TO THE BOX-FORT, YOU HAD TO CLIMB UP AN UNSECURED SHEET OF FOUR, BY EIGHT FOOT PLYWOOD, WITH SMALL BOARDS NAILED ONTO THE FRONT, AS A SORT OF LADDER TO THE TOP. AND YES IT WAS A LITTLE WOBBLY UNDER OUR WEIGHT. WE HAD TO CLIMB DOWN INTO THE BOX, WHICH DID SEEM A TAD STRANGE, AS THE DOOR WOULD NORMALLY BE ON ONE OF THE SIDES. WHEN WE BOTH USED AN INSIDE LADDER TO GET DOWN INTO THE NERVE CENTER OF THE CLUBHOUSE, WE FOUND TWO OF THE COVETED GOOLAGONGS. RAY GOT ONE, AND HANDED ME THE OTHER. "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE THEY COME BACK," HE YELLED TO ME, ALREADY HALFWAY UP THE LADDER TO THE ROOF. IT WAS THE "COMING BACK" PART I HADN'T BEEN AWARE OF. I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE ON A TIGHT BUDGET OF TIME, TO MAKE OUR GREAT ESCAPE. SO I HUSTLED OUT OF THE ENCLOSURE, JUST IN TIME TO WATCH RAY LITERALLY BOUNCE DOWN THE PLYWOOD. "THEY'RE COMING TED, THEY'RE COMING," HE SHOUTED, ALREADY RUNNING UP THE HYDRO FIELD, IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE THREE GANGSTERS COMING FROM LIONS PARK. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD AGREED, OUR ESCAPE WOULD HAVE BEEN HARDER TO FOLLOW, DOWN THROUGH THE CREEK BED, AS WE COULD RUN AMONGST THE THICK SHRUBS, LIKE DEER IN FLIGHT…..ALMOST INVISIBLE IN THE ZONE WE WERE MOST FAMILIAR. HE DIDN'T FOLLOW PROTOCOL AT ALL THAT DAY.

WHEN I TOOK MY TURN TO GO DOWN THE PLYWOOD, MUCH THE SAME AS RAY HAD LEPT DOWN, (INSTEAD OF USING THE LADDER RUNGS), I DIDN'T KNOW THE PANEL HAD SHIFTED AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE OF THE FORT. SO WHEN I TOOK THE FIRST BOUNCE DOWN, THE PLYWOOD DROPPED STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND WITH ME ON IT. THE DROP WAS ABOUT EIGHT FEET, AND I LANDED ON ONE FOOT, FRACTURING IT BADLY. THE PAIN WAS HORRIFIC. BUT I STILL HAD TO RUN, FOR FEAR OF BEING BEATEN TO A PULP. RAY HAD TOSSED DOWN HIS GOOLAGONG, BUT I REFUSED. WHILE RAY WAS HAVING HIS LUNCH, I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THESE LADS, AND AFTER SOME INTERESTING DEKES AND DIVERSIONS, I MADE IT IN THE APARTMENT DOOR WITH ABOUT TWO SECONDS TO SPARE. THE DOOR LOCKED AS THE CLENCHED FIST OF MY PURSUER, POUNDED THE HOLLOW WOOD. MERLE HAD BEEN SNEAKING A CIGARETTE, AND SHOT UP LIKE A JUMPING JACK, KNOCKING A GLOWING PORTION OF ASH ON HER BLOUSE….WHICH MOST CERTAINLY LEFT A MARK. SHE WENT TO ANSWER THE DOOR, AGAINST MY URGING NOT TO, AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, WELL, SHE HANDED MY ENEMY CAPTAIN THE GOOLAGONG I HAD STOLEN, YELLED AT ME FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR….TOLD ME THAT I WAS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE…..AS THE KID REALLY WANTED TO KILL ME…..AND THEN ASKED ME WHY MY RIGHT FOOT LOOKED LIKE I HAD A FOOTBALL TUCKED INTO MY SOCK. SO OFF TO THE HOSPITAL WE WENT. ALL FOR A GOOLAGONG I HAD TO HAVE…….BECAUSE OF ITS MAGICAL POWERS. YEA, WELL, THIS WAS TEDDY'S FOLLY. ALL I GOT WAS A REALLY BIG FOOT FOR LIFE.

I PAID DEARLY FOR THAT INDISCRETION, WHERE "WANT" CLEARLY OUTWEIGHED CONSEQUENCE. THE X-RAY AT JOSEPH BRANT HOSPITAL SHOWED A SUBSTANTIAL FRACTURE IN MY FOOT, AND DOC PRESTON CAME TO OUR APARTMENT TO WRAP MY FOOT. HE PUT A DRESSING ON MY SKIN, THAT WHEN WRAPPED, MADE IT FEEL AS IF I WAS WALKING ON HOT COALS FOR ABOUT A DAY. THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES. WHEN MERLE EXPLAINED TO THE DOCTOR, HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT, HE PUT HIS HAND ON MY SHOULDER AND ASKED, "WELL TED, ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN?" I SHOOK MY HEAD BECAUSE THE PAIN IN MY FOOT, KEPT ME SPEECHLESS FOR QUITE A WHILE.

RAY AND I WERE GOOD CHUMS RIGHT UP INTO OUR TWENTIES, BUT WE MOVED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE APART. I DIDN'T BLAME HIM FOR GETTING ME INTO TROUBLE. I COULD HAVE SAID NO. I DO BLAME HIM FOR LEAVING ME TO FIGHT OFF THE GANG. WHILE HE WAS HIDING UNDER THE BED, SAFELY IN HIS APARTMENT. I'M TOLD I DID MORE DAMAGE TO THE FOOT BY RUNNING AWAY, THAN IF I HAD LIMPED HOME ON RAY'S SHOULDER. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THOUGH, WHERE SELF PRESERVATION KICKED IN, AND THE THOUGHT OF GETTING A DAMN SUBSTANTIAL BEATING FROM THE GANG RUNNING BEHIND, OUTWEIGHED THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING ONE REALLY BIG FOOT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. WHAT STARTED WITH AN INTEREST IN SECURING AN ENCHANTED WEAPON, ENDED WITH AN ENLARGED FOOT AND A VIVID MEMORY OF MY ONLY TIME AS INDIANA JONES, IN THE PURSUIT OF THE "HOLY GOOLAGONG."

AT ABOUT THIS AGE, I REALLY DID TURN ON TO TOYS THAT WERE MINIATURES OF THE REAL MCCOYS. YOU KNOW, A WOODEN BOAT WITH AN INBOARD ENGINE, WITH BATTERY POWER, THAT ACTUALLY DASHED ACROSS THE OPEN WATER. I CAN REMEMBER MY DAD COMING HOME WITH WHAT I ALWAYS THOUGHT WAS A CHRIS CRAFT MINIATURE, WITH A BATTERY DRIVEN INBOARD ENGINE, THAT I THINK NOW MUST HAVE BEEN FOR MY BIRTHDAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY THEN, SO I CAN'T IMAGINE, THAT HE ALL OF A SUDDEN TOOK LEAVE OF HIS SENSES, AND BOUGHT ME WHAT I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXPENSIVE TOY. FOR WEEKS, I PLAYED WITH THAT LITTLE BOAT IN THE BATH-TUB. I KEPT BUGGING ED TO TAKE ME DOWN TO THE PARK NEAR THE OLD BRANT INN, SO I COULD RUN THE BOAT IN LAKE ONTARIO. FINALLY HE RELENTED, AND FATHER AND SON HAD A PLAY DATE WITH A REALLY NICE BOAT. NOW ED WAS IMPATIENT WITH THINGS LIKE THAT, AND HE DIDN'T APPRECIATE FULLY, THE RUDDER HAD TO BE SET TO THE DIRECTION IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO. SUCH AS BEING POSITIONED SUCH THAT THE BOAT WOULD CRUISE IN A CIRCLE. SO HE JUST SET THE RUDDER STRAIGHT, SECURED THE BATTERIES, TURNED IT ON, WHILE STILL IN HIS HAND, PLACED IT IN THE WATER, AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE. MY LITTLE BOAT HEADING OUT TO THE OPEN LAKE. IT MANAGED TO GO SO PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE OPENING OF THE BREAK WALL, THAT PROTECTED THE BEACHFRONT, AND WE STOOD THERE, FATHER AND SON, WAVING GOODBYE TO MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT. I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING A REPLACEMENT TOY, ALTHOUGH I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THIS.

I ALSO HAD, AT THIS TIME, A WONDERFUL LITTLE TIN BATTLESHIP, ON WHEELS, THAT YOU COULD PLAY WITH ON A TILE OR WOOD FLOOR, AND IT WOULD CHANGE DIRECTIONS WHEN IT HIT AN OBSTACLE, OR THE WALL. I LOVED THAT SHIP BUT REPLACING THE BATTERIES WAS COSTLY. MY MOTHER GAVE IT AWAY TO ANOTHER KID IN OUR APARTMENT BLOCK, BECAUSE SHE DETERMINED I HAD OUTGROWN IT. ED ONCE BOUGHT ME A NICE LITTLE ROBOT FOR CHRISTMAS, ALSO REQUIRING BATTERIES, AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, CAME OUT OF THE BATHROOM AND CRUSHED IT UNDER-FOOT. THEN HE BOUGHT ME AN EVEN BIGGER ROBOT THAT I THINK WAS CALLED "ROBBIE THE ROBOT," AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH INDESTRUCTIBLE. I THINK IT TOOK FOUR LARGE BATTERIES, BUT IT WAS SPECTACULAR WHEN IT WAS SWITCHED ON. IT WALKED, HAD LIGHTS ON THE INSIDE THE GLASS SHIELD, OF THE ROBOT'S HEAD, AND THE ANTENNAE ROTATED WHEN IT WALKED. ANOTHER CLASSIC TIN TOY I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE NOW, THAT MY MOTHER DECIDED WAS SURPLUS, JUST BECAUSE I GOT OLDER. I CERTAINLY WASN'T OVER-RUN BY TOYS, BUT I ALWAYS GOT A HOCKEY STICK FOR CHRISTMAS, AND THAT KEPT ME GOING THROUGH THE YEAR. I COULD USE THE STICK AS A MAKE-BELIEVE GUN IN A PINCH, IF THE NEIGHBOR KIDS DECIDED TO HAVE A WESTERN-THEME DAY. I ALSO REMEMBER A GUN AND HOLSTER, PLUS CALLING CARDS, INSPIRED BY THE TELEVISION SHOW "PALADIN," I BELIEVE, AND I WAS ALWAYS DRAWING MY GUN ON FOLKS I DIDN'T CARE FOR. I GAVE ALL MY CALLING CARDS OUT ON A DOOR TO DOOR CANVAS, ONE DAY, WHICH REALLY FREAKED OUT THE NEIGHBORS. I WAS A GUNSLINGER, YOU SEE. WHEN I FELT LIKE BEING A BAD GUY, I WAS JACK PALANCE, IN HIS HIRED GUN ROLE IN THE MOVIE "SHANE." ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THAT LONG BEFORE I GOT THE URGE TO HEAD WEST, TO JOIN THE REST OF THE HIRED GUNS, MERLE LEFT ME GUN-LESS WHEN I GOT HOME ONE DAY AFTER SCHOOL. TO COMPENSATE, I JUST KEPT FINDING NEW THINGS TO BRING HOME FOR MYSELF INSTEAD. I HAD LOTS OF CONTRABAND STASHED UNDER MY BED, AND AT THE BACK OF THE CLOSET. I WASN'T A THIEF, EXCEPT IN THE GOOLAGONG INCIDENT, BUT I HAD A FASCINATION FOR FOUND ITEMS THAT WOULD SERVE SOME FUTURE USE. THE ROOT OF THE EVENTUAL HOARDER. MAYBE IF MERLE HADN'T CHUCKED ALL MY STUFF OUT, OR DONATED IT TO NEIGHBORS' KIDS, I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO ENACT PLAN "B." THE HUNTING AND GATHERING OF EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING ELSE I COULD FIND ON MY GAD-ABOUTS.

WHEN I THINK BACK TO OTHER SOURCES OF INSPIRATION, BACK IN THOSE YEARS, I REMEMBER GOING WITH MY FATHER ONE DAY TO BUY MY MOTHER A CUP AND SAUCER, FOR HER BIRTHDAY. SHE WAS A BIG TEA DRINKER, AND WAS, AT THE TIME, TRYING TO COLLECT A PARTICULAR PATTERN OF CHINA, LITERALLY ONE CUP AND SAUCER AT A TIME. HE TOOK ME TO A BUSINESS, A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY, NEAR THE SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO, THAT ONLY DEALT WITH COLLECTIBLE CHINA. I WAS IN AWE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS SEA OF CHINA CUPS, SAUCERS, DISHES, PLATTERS, COVERED DISHES, AND BOWLS EVERYWHERE IN THE SHOP. ED PICKED OUT THE PATTERN MERLE LIKED, AND WE GOT THE CUP AND SAUCER WRAPPED AND BOXED IN THAT INTERESTING SHOP, AND I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE SOFT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC BEING PLAYED, AND THE PERFUME SMELL OF THE AIR INSIDE….WHICH SORT OF REMINDED ME OF OUR LANDLADY'S SPRING GARDEN. I ALSO REMEMBER ED TAKING ME TO THE BURLINGTON BUS STATION, AND THE FRAGRANT SMELL OF TOBACCO FROM A SHOP CONNECTED, I BELIEVE, AND IT WAS MY FIRST INTRODUCTION TO PIPES AND TOBACCO POUCHES. I THINK THERE WAS A BARBERSHOP AS WELL, SO I GOT THE STRONG SCENT OF SHAVING FOAM, AFTER SHAVE AND BRUSH DISINFECTANT….AND THE CLEAR RECOLLECTION OF THE SOUND OF A RAZOR BEING HIT, AND RUN UP AND DOWN THE STRAP, HUNG AT THE SIDE OF THE HUGE BARBER'S CHAIR. I'M PRETTY SURE THIS IS WHERE I GOT TO GO, ONCE A MONTH, FOR MY OWN "EAR LOWERING" AS MY MOTHER USED TO CALL IT. THE BARBER USED TO PUT A BOARD ACROSS THE ARMS, AND THAT'S HOW HIGH IN THE CHAIR I HAD TO SIT, SO THE POOR BUGGER DIDN'T HAVE TO HUNCH OVER TO CUT MY CURLS. I'M PRETTY SURE THERE WAS A CHAP WHO HAD A SHOE-SHINE STAND IN THE MAIN HALL, OF THE STATION, THOUGH I MAY BE WRONG ABOUT THIS. I CAN RECALL THE SMELL OF THE SHOE POLISH, AND I'M REASONABLY SURE ED USED TO HAVE HIS DONE AT THE SAME TIME AS I GOT MY HAIR TRIMMED. THERE WAS A PLETHORA OF SIGHTS, SMELLS AND TEXTURES GOING AROUND THESE PLACES WITH MY FATHER, THAT STILL AFFECT ME TO THIS DAY……..WHEN I COME UPON AN ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE SHOP, THAT HAS NOSTALGIA PIECES I REMEMBER FROM THESE CHILDHOOD VISITATIONS. I STILL GET ENTRANCED BY BARBERSHOP AROMAS, AND THE SWEET SCENT OF FRESH PIPE TOBACCO, AND THE CURL OF SMOKE FROM A NEWLY LIT PIPE BOWL. THE PERMEATING AROMA OF SHOE POLISH…..(AND NO I DON'T SNIFF IT FOR A KICK), ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THOSE FATHER-SON MOMENTS. I HAVE SEVERAL SHOE-SHINE BOXES WITH CONTENTS…..TO ONE DAY SHOW MY GRANDKIDS WHAT PROFESSIONS USED TO EXIST, BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY THINGS FROM THOSE DAYS, WHICH LINGER IN MY ANTIQUE INTERESTS ALL THESE YEARS LATER. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING MY PARENTS DID, OR MY FRIENDS PARTICIPATED IN, OR ANYTHING I PICKED UP AT SCHOOL, HELPED ME PLANT THOSE SEEDS OF A FUTURE PROFESSION. I WAS INFLUENCED BY MANY THINGS, TO ENJOY THE PRESENT TENSE…..SO MUCH I GUESS, THAT I TRAPPED THOSE TIMES IN MY HEART AND SOUL, SUCH THAT I HAVE WANTED TO LIVE THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. EVEN DOWN TO THE BLACKPOOL ROCK CANDY, I USED TO BE ABLE TO GET FOR A TREAT (AND A FEW PENNIES), AT THE THEATRE MATINEES, IN BURLINGTON AND THEN BRACEBRIDGE. I STILL GO NUTS FOR THE STUFF, THAT ROTTED AND BROKE OFF MY TEETH, BUT BY GOLLY, COULD LAST A WHOLE DAY OF LICKING. I STILL LIKE TO PICK UP THE OCCASIONAL BROWN BAG OF BLACKBALLS, THAT ALSO DESTROYED MY TEETH, BUT FOR THE CASH STRAPPED KID, A THREE FOR A CENT DEAL, WAS WELL WITHIN MY BUDGET. AND WHEN I WAS IN THOSE FASCINATING CORNER SHOPS, WHERE THEY SOLD CENT CANDY, IN BURLINGTON AND BRACEBRIDGE, I WAS MOST DEFINITELY BEING INFLUENCED BY EVERYTHING I WAS SURROUNDED BY…….AND THOUGH I DIDN'T BECOME A COLLECTOR JUST BECAUSE OF THESE SHOPS, IT CERTAINLY WAS THE CRADLING OF MY IMAGINATION, AND THE FERTILIZATION OF THE SEEDS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PLANTED.

I CAN REMEMBER RAY GREEN AND I ENTERING AN OLD HOUSE, ON THE HILLSIDE OF TORRANCE AVENUE, AND KNOWING IT WAS ABOUT TO BE TORN DOWN, STARTED HARVESTING EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN LEFT LAYING AROUND. INTERESTING STUFF SCATTERED ON THE FLOOR, RANGING FROM VIVIDLY COLORED GLASS, SHATTERED OUT OF THE ELEGANTLY APPOINTED ENTRANCE-WAY, TO GLASS LIGHT SHADES, OLD WIRING, PIECES OF BOOK SHELF TORN FROM THE WALL, AND STRANGE KITCHEN UTENSILS WE FOUND ON THE CLUTTERED KITCHEN COUNTERS. WE ASSUMED THAT IT WAS A CASE OF PICKER'S RIGHTS, AT A TIME WHEN I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT PICKING, OTHER THAN WHAT I PRACTICED OUT OF INTEREST, NOT FOR PROFIT. WE CAME OUT OF THAT HOUSE WITH OUR POCKETS JAMMED TO OVERFLOWING. WHEN WE CAME UP TORRANCE AVENUE THE NEXT DAY AFTER SCHOOL, A TRACTOR WAS PULLING DOWN THE REMAINING WALL OF THE ONCE BEAUTIFUL OLD HOUSE, NESTLED AMONGST THE CHESTNUT TREES. WE COULD NOW CALL THESE ITEMS SOUVENIRS, LIKE THE ONES MY PARENTS USED TO BUY ME WHEN WE WENT TRAVELLING TO PLACES LIKE NIAGARA FALLS AND BUFFALO. IT TOOK MERLE ABOUT A MONTH TO FIND AND THROW OUT THE JUNK I'D HAULED HOME, FROM THE OLD VICTORIAN ERA HOUSE. I WAS DONE WITH IT ANYWAY. IT HAD SERVED ITS PURPOSE OF INSPIRATION. A COLLECTOR WAS BORN. SHE COULDN'T THROW OUT OR GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING. COULD SHE?

MY YOUTH WAS SPENT WITH, AS THEY SAY, "EYES WIDE OPEN." I'M GLAD OF THIS. BUT I TRULY THINK I WAS BORN THIS WAY. MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SAY I HAD AN "OLD SOUL," BUT I NEVER KNEW WHAT SHE MEANT BY THIS. I THINK I DO NOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING TODAY'S BLOG. PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN, FOR MORE STORIES ABOUT ANTIQUE AND COLLECTIBLE HUNTING.