by Pam Steele
Recently, I had yet another reminder of why I am so glad to live in Almonte. It’s full of mischievous, good willed people.
I am not much of a shopper, so I rely on suggestions from anyone else when it comes to shopping for my husband: birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day. Usually I get sneaky emails and quick, covert visits from neighbours who just want to “let me know what he’d like.”
But it’s not only neighbours who help. It’s business owners too. Last Christmas an auto salesman from Gatineau, who used to live in Almonte, phoned to tell me that my husband would really like some winter rims for his car. I paid over the phone and this lovely, helpful Almonte Alumni, even brought them to Almonte, to “hide” at his sister’s place – one street over from me. They did it because they could – and because they have elven hearts and twinkly eyes.
The most recent help has come from our local bike shop owner (I call him Bill the Bike Boy). Bill had been putting up with my husband’s drooling over some swanky bike, and had to listen to his laments when he found out that the bike was sold and no more were expected. But, as my husband’s good luck would have it, another bike came in. But Bill, having that little bit of Almonte mischief in him, contacted me, wondering if it would make a great surprise. “Of course!” I said. Good timing too, since my husband’s birthday had just passed and all he had received, was a cheap and cheerful beach chair – and that was thanks to his son, not me. So thanks to Bill, I looked like a hero, getting him a belated birthday bike.
There must be gold dust in the water here, to make people go out of their way to be helpful and just a tad mischievous. Thank you to you all, and keep those ideas coming!
