IF I WERE YOU

IF I WERE YOU

If I were you
I'd pick some lovely daffodils
When the Spring arrives;
And buy fresh haddock
A few home-made biscuits
Served with french fries.

If I were you
I'd sit with me in Church
In my favourite pew;
Holding the same hymn book
Hands touching hands
In everybody's view.

If I were you
I'd run a bubble bath
Serve orange-pineapple ice cream;
Rub my aching back
Fix my broken heart
Make me your Queen.

If I were you
I'd buy a nice horse
So I can ride with pride;
I'd show love and kisses
Each day and night
I'd make me your bride.

If I were you
I'd love me...............

THE MARITIMES

THE MARITIMES

I watch the first fall of snow
And dress in boots & gloves
I add another blanket on
The electric one I love;
I make a pot of chili
I roll a bunch of dimes
I bake a poor mans pie
Hard times.....in the maritimes.

They say the lobster's fading
They blame the DFO
Some moved out West to work
Why, I do not know;
There's fewer jobs everywhere
Prices go up & up
Soon, before we know it
No Tim Horten's in our cup.

Gas & oil's higher now
Can't afford to mow the grass
Toilet paper's too high priced
To even wipe our ass;
Milk and fruit, forget it
Can't even buy ice cream
Flour's gone through the roof
Enough to make us scream.

Hard times in the Maritimes
Now it's almost Christmas
Slim pickings here this year
So I'm just giving kisses;
Too cold to rub noses
Too broke to buy a gift
I may have to hitchhike
So stop & give a lift.

It's mighty cold in my bed
So I crank the blanket up
And lean back on my pillows
As hot chocolate I do sup;
The snow is softly falling
All's quiet and so bright
Hard times in the Maritimes
Beats anywhere else tonight.

THE SNOW ANGEL

THE SNOW ANGEL

Christmas was just weeks away
As she hurried home from work
Pulled into the driveway
Then took another look;
Someone had made a snowman
In front of her storm door
He had a hat on his head
It said two words "WE'RE POOR".

She decided to destroy it
And went about her life
A busy single woman
Ain't nobody's wife;
She had no time for people
Who lived on the street
No mittens on their bare hands
With no shoes on their feet.

When she went Christmas shopping
Or drove by in her car
She saw them outside smoking
Cigarettes and cigars;
She was pulling into her drive
And couldn't believe her sight
On the lawn, all laid out
Was a snow angel in white.

She started to grab her keys
When a shadow she did see
A voice said "Hello, M'am
Can I have a cup of tea?"
But when she turned around
There was nobody there
Just a snow angel's shape
With no head or hair.

She thought about the woman
When it was Christmas night
And grabbed her coat & mittens
To try to make things right;
They were huddled close together
Sharing a cup of hope
She knew that this small family
Was at the end of their rope.

She loaded them into her car
And first they went to eat
Then they went to her house
New shoes for their feet;
Bathtime for the children
Warm beds for everyone
Never in her whole life
Had she had so much fun!

New Years Day she dropped them
Inside a family shelter
Although still homeless
At least they had each other;
They are warm and happy
Some money for their future
And hope for tomorrow
Instead of cold & torture.

The snow is now almost gone
Outside it's not so white
I look out of my window
At all the stars at night;
I see my simple family
Who now have a better life
And I feel so grateful to her
Because I am that wife.

GONE

GONE


You left your jacket hanging
On a nail on the wall
And I found your old watch
On a table in the hall;
Then I saw your overalls
In a bag stored away
I thought how hard you worked
Every single day!!

I miss you most at Christmas
When we all sat down together
Now I eat all by myself
And stare out at the weather;
I miss you on my birthdays
I miss you at our church
And when I see your picture
That's when it truly hurts.

Sometimes I think I smell you
That woodsy, out-door smell
I close my eyes & often feel
As if I were in Hell;
I miss you in the evenings
As I sit in your old chair
Though you've been gone so long
I still can smell your hair.

I know you won't come back to me
I know that is a fact
Because the day that you left
I tried to not look back;
I just want to tell you now
That I feel so sad
And I'm still mad at Jesus
Because He took you, Dad.

EULOGY

These are the remarks I spoke at my brothers funeral service in June 2003; I had flown home to be with him while he was dying and stayed until after the funeral as I was still residing in the USA:


When Minnie asked me to read this at Rodney's service today, I immediately said I would try. I'm glad that he liked a previous piece I had written about him on his birthday and I'm honored to share it with all of you gathered here.

Every time I think of our oldest brother, Rodney, I have to smile. To me, he is every little sisters dream come true.

He is the perfect big brother; not only is he a protector and a gentleman, he is also a hunter, a fisherman, a bowler, a singer, a harmonica player, a guitarist, a comedian, a gardener, a card player, a camper, a dog lover, a husband, a father, a grandfather, an uncle, a cousin and a wonderful friend to both sexes.

Our parents worshipped him and he them; a better son could not be found than he was to them and to our wonderful grandparents. How proud Mum was when he competed at Beaver Dam. How thrilled Daddy was to have him back home again from Germany where he served in the United States Army. And how excited we all were to welcome his wife, Minnie, into the Mundell family.

Rodney taught us all so much; he has a great sense of humour that few men have; a quick wit that brings smiles to all around him. His humour is self-deprecating at times and he is a very good story and joke teller. His eyes twinkle with teasing laughter.

He has had more friends through-out the years than one can count. He strives to treat them equally with comraderie, kindness and with an outstretched hand to any one of them in trouble or need. He is just comforting to be around.

Rod sings about the good old days and of the sea, the fishermans plight and of his love for his country. But his 'signature song' about Gene Autry and the big screen on a Saturday afternoon, always brings a huge round of applause and a tear to the eye.

Never one to complain, Rod has always been self-supporting, energetic, athletic and knowledgeable of everything from kiacking to politics, current events to pollution control, sports to outer space, traveling to patiently teaching his grandsons how to build a snowman.

He's every little sisters idea of who she wants to marry when she grows up; who she idolizes above all others. He's this sisters 'HERO' and a man for all seasons. Thank God for brothers like him!


After receiving the above, Rodney wrote back to thank me. He said that while he was flattered, I was wrong. He wrote "I'm just ordinary, dear; just ordinary."

I'd like to add a brief personal memory I have of him from when I was 5 or 6 years old. He had just returned from CA where he worked after leaving the Army where he was a Corporal.

It was a warm Saturday afternoon and I was sitting outside on our back doorsteps with our dog, Sandy; long faced because my sister and brother had gone down to the Goudy theatre for the Saturday matinee, without me.

Rodney asked what was wrong and after I'd told him, he invited me to go in to Shelburne with him to the FAIR!

We rode in his blue packard and after riding the ferris wheel and the swings, we ate hotdogs and cotton candy. He bought me a little bracelet where they etched my name on top. He won me a kewpie doll on a stick! We laughed, held hands and had fun. I was so proud!

On the way home, he had all of the windows down and his radio on and I didn't dare tell him that I felt car-sick. When I finally threw up out the window of the fast moving car, the wind blew it all back inside, all over the rear seats.

He didn't get angry; he just stopped and cleaned me up as best he could. At home, he cleaned his car. I couldn't believe that he never told anyone what I'd done. He'd just wink at me when I bragged about our day at the Shelburne County Fair.

That was Rodney Mundell-----always thinking of someone's feelings; always wanting to put in a good word for others; always assuming the best in people; always accepting without judging; ALWAYS a gentleman.

Quite a guy, our big brother!
Ordinary?
I don't THINK so!!



In closing, I'd like to paraphrase from the song I mentioned earlier------about our Rodney-----

The man who wore many hats
Is a HERO to me
He was through the years now
And I know that he ALWAYS will be;
Time takes away many things
But it can't take our dreams
Love from Lorraine, Bob, Phyllis, Ardeth
Junior, myself and Jean.

SILENCE

SILENCE


The sound of silence awakened her as she laid alone, listening. She could hear soft snoring, she could hear the sound of the hot radiators coming on and the sounds of crying. Was it her own?

Time stood still as she watched the dark room turn into the dawn's early light. Soon it would be 5:30 am and the wake-up call. She stretched and allowed her mind to drift back to fourteen long years ago......

"Hurry up or I''ll miss my flight" she heard him say. He'd jumped out of the car as soon as she pulled up to the gate and without so much as a kiss, he was gone. She was used to it by now but still, it hurt to see all the other pilots hugging their wives and families. She wondered what he'd be like if they had any children? Probably no different; he didn't even like kids.......

She asked herself sometimes why they were even married as they led separate lives. But their faith didn't permit a divorce so they adjusted to a sexless/loveless life. Still, Jill had hope and was in couselling to save her marriage and she continued to pray. Maybe Will was just overworked, under alot of stress and was unhappy with himself.

She went about her work and hobbies and kept up with all the house and yard work while he was away. He had said he'd be gone 10 days but she couldn't remember why. Usually, he worked three days on and two days off. It was probably an overseas trip or some hours he was doing to fill in for a vacationing pilot. She decided to do some early Christmas shopping with Sally, in downtown Denver, an hours drive away.

When her best friend came down with the flu, she decided to go all by herself. She decided she'd spend the night since the next day, Saturday, was not a working day for her. She packed the small gun he had given her for safety inside her purse and checked into the Hilton in downtown Denver.

After eating dinner, she decided to wait until tomorrow to start shopping. She changed into her one-piece swimsuit and grabbed a towel and her bag and went down in the elevator to the luxurious spa. This was the same Hilton Will had brought her to when they were first dating. It hadn't changed much if at all; it boasted it had approximately 1,000 rooms!

The water was awesome and she laid back to let the jet streams from the jacuzzi soothe her aching bones. Few folks were in the Spa so she felt rich to have it all to herself. She began to doze and was half asleep when she awoke suddenly. Her back was to the side door where a couple was coming in, laughing, carring drinks in their hands. She turned when she thought she recognixed her husbands voice; it couldn't be!

They didn't see her in the water as the light was very dim where she lay submerged but she could plainly see then under the bright dome light overhead. She saw Will in the swim trunks she had bought him for his most recent trip. The woman beside him was dressed in a skimpy bikini and was laughing over something he'd just whispered in her ear. Jill's heart stopped! Wasn't he working? What was going on?

They walked away from her jacuzi to sit in a steam bath and she quietly watched them, her sobs beginning to form inside her broken heart. As he held out his arms for the blond woman to sit on his lap, Jill reacted without thinking. She had trouble seeing them now that the steam was covering the sliding glass doors. She grabbed her purse to leave when she felt the gun!

The last thing she heard before the gun went off was the sound of silence. Her ears had tuned out their screams. All she remembers is the blood bath left behind and the security holding her down. She put up no fight and the local police handcuffed her and threw her in one of their cars. Then all she heard were sirens.......

Now, she hears the sound of breakfasts being shoved under the doors and the sound of many keys jangling. She smells the rancid bacon and the warm apple juice that tastes more like urine. She watches as her bunk-mate eats hers while Jill gags from the sight. Another day in D block, Cell # 76.........

It's her birthday but no-one cares; no-one even knows. She hasn't looked in a mirror in ages and wonders if her parents will bother to call as they do twice a year. Christmas is the only other day they call her; she has brought them all such shame.

As the afternoon arrives and she sits on her steel bed, she prays once more for forgiveness for taking two lives. Her own life means nothing to her anymore and she never thinks of escape. She's doing 'life' and feels as if she is already dead.

Someone's radio is playing a song and she stops crying to listen. Music still affects her, still calms her, still makes her smile or cry. It's an old song "Love Hurts". At least, she can still feel........

Soon, dinner will be served in the main dining room; the one time a day when she leaves her cell. She will make herself eat and make herself stay in line. There's no birthday cake, no candles, no wishes for her 40th year on earth.

"Jill, you have a phone call." The guard escorts her to the phone booth but she changes her mind and asks to return to her cell.

"Tell them I died" she says. And she lays on her steel bunk and listens to more sounds of silence.

HELLO, DARLIN'

HELLO, DARLIN'


'Twas the night before Tuesday
In the month of December
The tree put away
'Midst the lightening & thunder;
Christmas was over
Another year ended
As I packed the last suitcase
With a jacket I'd mended.

The car is all packed
With my stuff for the city
I turn out the lights
And I'm filled with self-pity;
For what cannot be
And for what lies ahead
And I wish that my parents
Were alive and not dead.

I suddenly feel lonesome
With not even my dog
Here to wave bye to
As I drive in the fog;
The city awaits me
Who knows what's in store
And I turn on the radio
As I cry some more.

I wonder and worry if
He'll miss me for long
Or find him another
Who he'll string along;
City lights welcome me
As snowflakes do fall
And I reach for my phone
As his number I call.

"Hello, darlin".....