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Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Orono Weekly Times - 7 Places I've Done Time by Clifford Francis Pleasant Places It's early in the morning, I'm on the bench in the village and the people are starting to arrive in town. The plumber stops by for coffee and we jest back and forth. He finally has the rules of his trade down pat - "Sewage runs downhill, pay days are on Friday and don't lick your fingers." He is on his way to a Gramma's house where her grandson has flushed his sponge ball down the toilet. I am sure he will fix it. One of the local mechanics comes walking into town with his apprentice. They have five cars in the driveway but three won't run and the other two don't start. The apprentice has worked for him for ten years and is three years into getting his mechanics license. He still doesn't know the differences between a 9/16 wrench and a 5/8, but he is learning. The sprinkler systems man drops by and he has trouble drilling round holes. I guess he did drill one round hole but it was the wrong size. The carpenters are coming and one is complaining about the job he is doing. His corners aren't square and the floors are not level, but he blames that on the Government. A farmer from north of here pulls into town and he is pulling three large hay wagons behind the new truck. He is off to Toronto to pick up three more wagon loads of garbage at ten bucks a bag. There is more money made hauling garbage than cutting hay. He has a large ravine that needs filling and if the rodents get too bad he will light the dump on fire. Farmers can do that, or so he says. Another carpenter stops by and complains about the door he's installing. He has had problems with his tape measure for years but his son says the door sticks because the casement isn't plumb. Dad says the boy is a menace with the air-nail gun but by the end of the week they will have the door swinging. A very devout man from Manvers Township drops by for some bakeshop treats and tells me he reads what I write and prays for me. I thanked him but never mentioned that sometimes I pray for his lovely sister. Everyone talks about the Jays and the Maple Leafs. They all blame the problem on the teacher's pension plan but who knows for sure. Maybe I best go to work. photo supplied Adrianna Speziale (left) and Colin Lamers (right) were named St. Francis Of Assisi Elementary School's female and male athletes of the year.