THE TEST AND NEW GLASGOW
Written by Ronald MizonPublished on January 2018
We, or rather I, moved very steady down the back street. “Turn left” was the command and “take a first left” and lo and behold we were motoring up the high street past the five and ten and then the Roseland Cinema. Another left was required and Eureka! we had arrived back at the service station without a mishap.
But that was not all! I had to demonstrate my skills at parking into a small place. Then all of a sudden he said, “switch off. Handbrake on! Now come into the office and I will issue you with your preliminary pass ticket, sign it and send it off to Halifax and they will issue you with your official driving license as long as you send your $5 with it.”
I thanked the examiner very much and off I went to rendezvous with Linus. I did not need to say anything as he spotted the big smile on my face. “Well done.” he said. “Come on, we deserve a drink” and off we sallied to the nearest milk bar and he treated me to a giant chocolate milk shake whilst he enjoyed a sarsaparilla.
Off we went home smiles all round. I drove us there and we were met at the front door by Katherine and as I gave her the thumbs up she disappeared into the kitchen and returned with one of my favourite pies - a grand butterscotch, Umm.
Bessie was just as pleased as I was and with Linus’s consent I gave her the grand tour around the farm. We really felt Tickety Boo.
Well, I was now a competent driver - almost! I was still honing my skills by going up to the local store, Robertson’s, for the odd items with Bessie as my passenger. When Linus went into New Glasgow on business he drove us there and I drove back.
I took the part of being his chauffeur which pleased me no end. Otherwise, I did not drive that much. I really needed my own car but that was out of the question so I had to keep my hand in by running around Linus’s homemade road works.
After some weeks of my daily routine with the farm animals, we had a gentleman visitor who was here to see me, but from the conversation he had with Linus he was expected. I don’t recall his name but he turned out to be a welfare and health officer stationed in New Glasgow. He took me aside and asked me how Bessie and I were getting on at the ‘maison Cameron’, at school and about my activities. He asked me if I was happy. I replied in the affirmative, after which he asked me if I would like to leave school. I was now turned sixteen and most, if not all of the boys I knew, were either at work full time on the farms or if their parents could afford it, they would be sent to a high school. New Glasgow, for instance.
He asked me if I had ever thought of going it alone and living in New Glasgow and living in a boarding house and taking up employment there.
I said I would mull it over and let him know. My first thought was to ask Alan Bannerman if he could give me employment but, to his regret, he had to decline as the farm could not stand a full time person.
He suggested that I take up the offer of him and his wife and take up lodgings in town, but, there was a bright side to his idea. He and Mrs Bannerman invited me to visit any weekend that I chose to do so. I was most pleased at his suggestion and very grateful also.
So, after telling Katherine and Linus of my decision, they contacted the Health and Welfare man and within two weeks I was on my way to another new life in New Glasgow and within about two hours I was being introduced to Mrs Robertson of 86 Robertson Street. She was about fiftyish, I reckon, and probably a widow.
I was to have my own bedroom with a single bed and also the run of the house and garden.