Dick's Hideaway:

Dick MacKenzie - www.dickshideaway.com

Perspectives from two old coots on a morning sunrise

The guys set up camp chairs on Rotary Park Hill to watch the day unfold. Two or three beautiful hours ensued.

Planes took off and landed on the lake, below our vantage place, offering unique views of common comings and goings.

Offering thoughts of the stone wall between us and the lake we speculated on its origin. We old coots thought it was built as a cooperative project between Rotary and Katimavik in the early to mid-1970s. But we didn’t know for sure. We did marvel, though, how well it has endured over the years.

Old Coot One said he thought Willy Smith was involved, in addition to his Pa. 

Old Coot Two thought Willy, a Rotarian years before, was the wrong person.

Church bells rang as we sat on the hill. We offered a moment of silence and respect for our friend Fran Donnelly. An occasional boat sped past below us.

Coot Two: tall guy with a beard?

Coot One: Mennonite?

A mile-long train was stopped on the tracks. We could see the engine at the station in town and the tail across the west end bridge disappearing further around a curve and into the forest beyond.

Coot One: I know who you mean.

Coot Two: Yeah, the name escapes me at the moment.

We hear sirens and see bright flashing lights. The ambulance path is seen for many blocks through town. Could be good news. Maybe not. Hard to know from the vantage place. 

The old coots enjoyed a morning of companionship, reflection, conversation, and vignettes sitting on Rotary Park Hill.

Six hours later... email from Old Coot Two. Subject: Name. Text: William Sunderland. Old Coot One: Reply: Yup. That’s the name.