WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1987, PAGE 5 hi the quaintt l le ivpiaily Canadian town of Beaver, Ont. (pop. 999) Sunday mornings define the word 'quiet.' But this Sunday morning two sounds jar Lucas Letter- press (rom a deep slumber: the huge bundles of Toronto papers kerthunking off -the trucks while it is still dead dark before dawn; and the sound of saws singing into pine knots and hammers rattling away at joists and rafters. That the two events are connected, although somewhat convexly, never enters Lucas' mind. But, it being five fif- teen on Sunday morning, who can accuse Lucas of being slow of wit? Pray, how fleet were your thoughts this past Sunday morning at five fifteen? Lucas is editor and prop. of The Flat Tail, the only paper published in and for the town of Beaver, Ont. As such, Lucas abhors competition. And the Toronto papers, with their hernia-sprouting pages of advertising, turn Lucas green with envy. Knowing of certainty now that he will not return to sleep, Lucas dresses, rattles the coffee pot together in the kitchen, and steps to the curb to pick up his own copy of The Star. Since he has beaten the carrier by several hours, he slips his copy from the interior of the bundle. As usual, he leaves a note. In Beaver, people are honest. He pauses on his doorstep for a moment to listen. The hammering and sawing have even increased in intensity over the past fifteen minutes. Bad manners are bad man- ners, but who would dare to break the silence of a Sunday morning? One glance at the headlines in The Star tells him. "Canada, U.S. reach trade pact" screams the streamer under the nameplate. And under it, to the right, a 42-point deck: " 'God only knows what we did,' says U.S. negotiator." Lucas drops the newspaper inside the front door, reaches his car keys from his left rear pocket, and heads for his imported five-speed. The hammering comes from downtown, and he knows what is happening. He throws the carin gear and he is away. Lucas pulls up in front of his office on Main Street. He jumps from the car before it has barely stopped, and stands, one foot on the concrete step. Across the street and down half a block he can see the construction underway in the first hints of morning light. "Damned free trade," he mutters, and wishes he had a WIT OUR FEET UP ,,iv Rebuilding the Lone Star Star in his hand to savage. He lets himself into his office and pounces on the phone. "Time for breakfast," he tells everyone he calls. He has to say no more. Half an hour later, Lucas is sitting in the breakfast room at McDonald's, it being one of only two places in town large enough to hold a meeting of more than five people, and the only one open. Lucas and his group have always met there. Always, at least, since the Lone Star was bur- ned down a year ago last July in a fit of·patriotic fervor the likes of which the town had never before seen. The Beaver Lone Star Saloon had been the site of the Free Trade Poker Stakes before the fire. Gertie the Gar- ter had worked there, and "Fingers" Tom had played the piano. Mayor Johnny Cannuck, with the broad chin which wagged when he spoke, had set up the Free Trade Poker Stakes there, right in the back room. And Bent Broadaxe, the leader of the Beaver Amalgamated Workers (VAW), had squeaked out speeches there, and Razor Strop had fixed his two icy blue eyes on a single point and stuttered many a sentence there. But the townsfolk had burned down the Beaver Lone Star that Canada Day in '86 because it did not fit the metaphor of the town. It was, in a word, an American Image. So they burnt it down, and forever since, ail méetings, formaland casual,' had been held either in the back room of the Legion or in McDonald's. Both, Lucas had once written, were about as Canadian as you could get. "Looks like they're gonna rebuild it," Lucas says to the others once everyone has his muffin. "'l'il bet Mayor Johnny Cannuck will never guarantee my Workers will ail keep their jobs," says Bent Broadaxe. Gertie the Garter, who was asaloon girl in the old Lone S.tar (and you know what that means), is not so glum: "This means I can quit being Saved and get my old job back. You do think they'll hire me don't you?" "We're both sure bets,' says 'Fingers' Tom, who tinkled more than one ragtime tune at, the old saloon. "Fact is, we'd better be getting down thereright away, be first in line." They leave without a wave. The rest of the group sits, staring into their coffee cups. "They're really rebuilding the Beaver Lone Star Saloon?" asks Broadaxe. "Did you really think they would not?" replies Razor Strop. "I'm sure I would have if I were The Boss." "Oh, I'm sure you would," squeaks Broadaxe. "Tweedledum and Tweedledumber. But as long as you stay around, I'm a sure bet to be elected mayor next election. So you just stay on the job." Lucas shrugs. The sounds of the hammering and sawing penetrate even the restaurant. "They' rebuild it; they'll likely name it the New Beaver Lone Star Saloon. It'ii..." One of the staff interrupts him. "Wanta piece of apple pie?" she asks, her sixteen-year-old face glowing with en- thusiasm. "Specially made with imported American ap- pies. As Canadian as... Lucas bows his head. "So we knew the Yankees would be hard bargainers," he said. "But did they have to throw in the Blue Jays just to get a deal? - Durham Region public health nurses expect to strike Durham Region's 100 public health nurses last week voted to go on strike after a breakdown in negotiations for a new contract. "We're fully expecting to go out," says Barb Unich, of Whitby, vice president of Local 57 (Durham chapter) of the Ontario Nurses Association. "We will if we have to " The nurses, who bave been without a contract since Dec. 31, asked the conciliator for a no-board report Thursday. Nurses can strike 17 days after the report is received. "The conciliator was our last chance," says Unich. Working hours and conditions and wages are the main issues out- standing between the nurses and Durham Region, she says. Durham nurses want wage parity with hospital nurses, claiming they earn $2 less per hour. Durham's public health nurses also earn less than public health nurses in York Region and Simcoe County, says Unich. "We just don't feel we can fall further behind than we are now, she says. Starting wages for SEE PAGE 26 Committee supports hotel proposal Whitby administrative commit- tee members will recommend to council that approval be given to a hotel proposal by Glen Marquis at Sunray St. and Consumers Dr., despite objections by the Town's planning department. Committee had delayed a decision two weeks ago after David Sims, the solicitor for Marquis, asked for approval in principle of zoning to allow the development. 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