Rhys Williams and I used to think of different ways to needle each other over the fact that he attended St. Mary's Church and I attended St. Paul's Church.
I recall one 12th of July when I went up to Victoria Park where the K of C was playing a softball game against Silverwoods and I went out onto the playing field and presented Rhys with a bouquet of orange lilies just before the game. Well as things turned out the Knights defeated Silverwoods and Rhys never let me live that one down.
Some weeks later I was talking to Rev. Cross on Kent Street when suddenly there was a hand atop my head and there was a voice saying "there John, that's a good RC blessing that'll last you for a while." Needless to say both Rev. Cross and myself had quite a laugh as we saw Rhys stroll merrily on his way.
Well, not to be outdone, I sent him a telegram on the 12th of July the following year inviting him to join in the Orange Parade being held in Lindsay and signed it "William of Orange." I never heard another thing from Rhys until his Christmas card arrived and he had scratched out the verse inside and had composed his own. It went as follows:
*
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land,
Not and Orangeman was stirring, it really was grand.
Old Santa was happily making his rounds,
So pleased that no Orangemen that night could be found.
Til he went into Hoopers' and what did he see
But the last of the Orangemen asleep 'neath the tree.
He muttered a word (which we mustn't repeat)
Then said as he fled in hurried retreat,
You'd look good to me one the end of a rope,
You Protestant bugger, hurrah for the Pope!
*
I only wish that I still lived in Lindsay where I could volunteer to be Rhys' political campaign manager. I'd sure get even. Merry Christmas to all my readers and May 1994 be a happy, healthy and prosperous one for all of you.
