Page 23 - Book Eleven Havelock

CONTAMINATED Written MAY 15 2010 Page 21
In Havelock we had the east-enders, the west-enders and in our central part of town, two competing groups or gangs of boys. We thought we were the good guys, led by Allan and Clarence Price and later, about the time we left Havelock, by Bob Watson. The other gang which we thought were the bad guys we shall call simply the Other Gang but there was a local popular name for them. If you have read about the Black Donnellys of Lucan you know how we viewed them. They were characterized by vulgar language and tough talk but not by crime. The􏰀 probabl􏰀 􏰁eren􏰂t as bad as 􏰁e thought but the􏰀 certainl􏰀 􏰁eren􏰂t Sunda􏰀 School t􏰀pes either.
One early spring day we were in school 􏰁riting 􏰃Easter E􏰄ams􏰅 in a second storey classroom. The high school year then had three terms􏰆 The fall term ended 􏰁ith the 􏰃Christmas E􏰄ams􏰅; the winter term ended with 􏰃Easter Exams􏰅, which were always just before Good Friday which ushered in our spring break then called the 􏰃Easter Holida􏰀s􏰅􏰆 It 􏰁as late in the school da􏰀 and this was the very last exam. Our proctor for this exam was Mr. Drinkwalter. He was bored, as all exam supervisors are, and was idly looking out the second storey window which was wide open to the very pleasant spring day out there.
The silence pervading the exam class room was suddenly invaded by a high-pitched bo􏰀􏰂s voice. He shouted from somewhere down at street level, and loud enough for all of us concentrating on our exam to hear clearly􏰇 􏰃Pull in 􏰀o􏰈r neck􏰆 The go􏰉ernmen􏰊􏰂s looking for r􏰈bber􏰆􏰅 We were interrupted slightly. Then the voice repeated the salutation. This time we all perked up our ears. It was a bit funny. A slight titter went around the quiet exam room. About the fourth time he said it, my Father, the Principal happened to chance into our class-room and he
heard the derisive call which by now we all realized was being aimed at Mr. Drinkwalter in the open window. The giggling around the room was also getting more significant. Dad sprang into action and what he did could never happen today but this was about 70 years ago. He told two big fellows who were writing an exam to go down and get that kid. They willingly obliged and Dad proceeded to give this smallish boy a strapping.
That ended the rubber necking but the stor􏰀 doesn􏰂t end there􏰆
The small boy decided to get even. Allan and his side-kick Clarence Price were running a maple syrup enterprise in this fine spring weather and they had several sugar-maple trees tapped in our 􏰀ard􏰆 When Allan began to collect his accumulation of the da􏰀􏰂s sap later that afternoon, he found a sap bucket that looked strange. It also smelled strange. As he pondered it, he heard a derisive laugh and saw this same smallish boy running down the street towards home. The
horrible realization dawned that the rascal had urinated into the sap bucket. Fortunately the kid had only enough product to contaminate one bucket. Allan was understandingly furious and grabbed a stick nearby and threatened to shorten the rascal􏰂s life-span but the kid had too much head start for Allan to consummate his shouted threat.
The smallish boy took exception to Allan􏰂s threat and 􏰁ent home and told his big friends of the Other Gang. About two hours later several of the Other Gang along with an assortment of about ten mature-looking guys appeared in Clarence Price􏰂s yard challenging for a rumble. There was a collection of curious little people around too because I remember Don Hunter saying, 􏰃Get all these kindygartens out of here before the fight starts􏰆􏰅 Those older mature-looking guys were really just curious spectators not necessarily on either side. Up to this point I too was just a curious spectator waiting to see a fight. But our side had a serious problem. Allan couldn􏰂t fight against the guy representing the Other Gang because one of his fingers was broken and was in a cast. Like everybody else, I figured it was going to be fight between Clarence on our side versus tough-guy 􏰃Bunny􏰅 of the Other Gang. We waited, hopeful that Clarence would win. Clarence was big and strong.
Suddenly things took a nast􏰀 turn􏰆 Clarence􏰂s parents appeared at the door and ordered him into the house􏰆 A hush fell over the assembly and the next sequence of events is just a blur. The part I do remember clearly is that all of a sudden I was the appointed pugilist to represent the 􏰋good gu􏰀s􏰂. I was scared to death. Bunny looked awfully big to me. But there was no way out.
The fight itself was fairly short and I doubt if the crowd got its mone􏰀􏰂s 􏰁orth􏰆 Bunn􏰀 and I stared at each other 􏰁aiting for the other to make the first move􏰆 I did􏰆 I s􏰁ung m􏰀 fist as hard as I could and m􏰀 blo􏰁 landed in the middle of Bunn􏰀􏰂s forehead􏰆 That􏰂s all it took. One punch and his will to fight ended. I then wrestled him to the ground, let him up, and wrestled him to the ground again. He barely resisted. The skirmish was over.
Mr Douglas Drinkwalter
The crowd dispersed and I was a hero 􏰌 to myself at least, and maybe to Allan and the good guys.