Home  >> Stories  >> The Tale Spinner #2011-46

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IN THIS ISSUE

• Dalton Deedrick comes to the end of his work in Africa
• Lyle Meeres continues his story of a visit to southern Spain
• Lew Carter sends a thoughtful story about anger
• Pat Moore reflects on changes since her youth
• Carol Hansen´s story proves men have better friends than women do
• Catherine Nesbitt warns about the dangers of eating chicken
• Tom Williamson forwards some rules for life
• Sites are suggested by Betty Fehlhaber, Catherine Nesbitt, Don Henderson, and Pat Moore

Dalton Deedrick concludes his account of the volunteer work he did in

A MONTH IN AFRICA

March 31 - Friday. Lightly booked so did a few fillings. They are a luxury for most of the people. If they have an extraction, and probably an apparent cavity nearby which warrants a filling, I suggest they have them both taken care of while they are seated. Generally they have funds enough to do just one procedure, and naturally, the one that´s hurting gets the nod.

Beware the occasional patient who wants a filling! They aver vehemently that the tooth has never given them pain, but when one gets the cavity fully excavated, there is the pulp exposed, and I know they have fibbed. However, one goes through the pulp-capping procedure and filling, knowing that statistics are against a successful outcome. Our successor will be seeing the patient who by now has an agonizing abscess, and both will wonder if that is representative of Canadian dentistry.

There will be 12 different dentists covering this clinic over the course of a year. They will come from any country in the world, and most of them will be of the near-retirement age. It´s kind of like putting Seabiscuit in a claiming race when he´s 29 years old!

I ran the theatre proposition by sister M.C. She was going to go to Nairobi on the weekend anyway, and the prospect of seeing live theatre struck her as being a great idea. We´ll see how she reacts to a tale of Victorian lust and passion as only old George Bernard can project.

April 1 - Saturday. Our faithful Peugeot (I´m beginning to love that vehicle) launched with her springs flattened out, with five nuns, myself, and a great load of books and paraphernalia off to the airport. Four of the nuns were on their way back to Nigeria, with all their gear.

Lunch, and a few groceries to get my replacement started next week, then down Parliament Road to the Phoenix Theatre. There were turned heads, and a few hand-shielded whispers as sister M.C. and I made our entrance. She was of course the only dark face in the crowd, but she beamed benignly on all and sundry, and obviously enjoyed and understood the play. I think we both counted it as a ´fun´ afternoon.

My term here will end next week and I must confess I´m looking forward to the turnover. Oddly enough, it´s not the frustration of the working environment that is paramount, but the isolation one feels from not being able to converse with anyone.

April 2 - Sunday. Had the scare of my life last night. I was going down to the phone booth a block away, the night was moonless and black as coal, and suddenly from right beside me on the path I heard a guttural, "Jambo." I must have jumped a foot, and a panicked glance revealed three white spots at my eye level, about two feet away. As you may have deduced, I survived. It was the night watchman who patrols the compound, standing by a bush, with only his eyes and teeth reflecting any light. "Jambo" is "hello" in Swahili. When my eyes became a bit more accustomed to the gloom, I could see that he was armed. He was carrying a bow and arrows!

My relief comes in tomorrow, along with his wife. About half the volunteers bring their wives along, and some wives go out on the clinics, and some just read and putter. I spent the day tidying up the house - rather a unique experience, I´m ashamed to admit, and packing for the return home.

April 3 - Monday, and sister M.C. brought in my replacement and his wife. A most congenial couple who have been on several similar assignments, so have no trepidation. They are from Pennsylvania, and what a treat to get in some conversation again. They also brought in the replacement valve for the air rotor, and it works. They are exhausted from their long flight over, so tucked in early.

Finished my report on the month´s efforts, and closed it off with feelings of regret. It has been a month to cherish in memory forever.

April 4 - Dr. Gingles and I did the local clinic, alternating the rotations. My job was to apprize him of the quirks and quarks he may encounter over his month on the job. He´s done these before and will do just fine. His wife spent the day getting acquainted with the house.

The changeover always involves the "hail and farewell" dinner at the nurses´ residence. They have a format for these occasions which I´m sure is the same each month. The nuns are sweet, sincere, and unsophisticated ladies, and calm and unruffled in any situation. We all said the appropriate things, we had a little gift exchange, and this time the lights stayed on throughout the festivities. The three of us huddled under one umbrella as we went back to our quarters, rejoicing with all our neighbours at a desperately-needed shower.

April 5 - Wednesday. Goodbye to Kilimambogo. A heartfelt thanks to the people who have made this venture one to remember with pleasure forever. Dispersed a few small remembrances to the boys, and wished Carl and Sue Gingles the best of luck for their turn.

Sister M.C. took me down to Nairobi and we parted with a hug. I don´t know whether one hugs nuns or not, but she was exceptional in looking after me while out there, and a warm embrace was the best farewell I could muster. I hope she has a long and happy career in the life she has chosen. I also gave a little affectionate pat on the Peugeot´s battered hood. My first impressions were wrong!

In retrospect, I have a hard time deciding whether these ventures are worthwhile or not. Certainly we brought some relief of pain to a few people, but it was not just a drop in the bucket, but a drop in the ocean of need in that vast continent. The items that come to mind as being barriers to progress include overpopulation, universal corruption, tribalism, ignorance, and disease. There are certainly more one could cite. The AIDS catastrophe is decimating the young adult population which should be the leaders in education and progress, but now we have nations predominantly of children and grandparents.

Off to Canada after a few days here to see again the Serengeti and "Treetops" up by the Aberdare mountains.

We may have a few problems in Canada, but when I look back on the last month, I realize we live in one of the greatest countries on earth! I pray we can keep it that way.

Lyle Meeres continues his story of the rights and wrongs of

SOUTHERN SPAIN

Back in Beniaya, Jakki said that the reason we had some trouble reserving accommodation was that our next trip included Andalucia Day. The Spanish have many holidays and fiestas.

We had a dinner in the next town, Margarida, with Bonnie and John, friends of Pat and Gordon. They were the ones who suggested that Pat and Gordon look at buying and renovating in Benaiya.

Bonnie and John worked hard to renovate their own place. They had to remove plaster from walls, remove pigeon and rabbit droppings from floors, build in windows where none had been, add toilets, move furniture through the dining room, and hoist it to get it upstairs because the stairwell was too narrow to allow passage. They often dismantled big furniture so it had to be reassembled when it was in place. Their style was to work on several rooms at once so the place was cold and dusty while they worked.

Bonnie and John greeted us with three brushed kisses and said goodbye with four. I´d seen two kisses in public, but Bonnie assured us that the increased number was for special people.

On February 23 the sun came out, so I walked around Beniaya taking pictures. Probably Pat and Gordon´s house was once half of a larger house. The village, which is hundreds of years old, is attractive with the attached houses, though the thick stonework is cold in the weather we´ve had; however, when the summer sun roasts the land, the cooling effects would be prized.

The church is Beniaya´s unique structure, with its tower rising above the two- and three-storey houses. Churches often seemed too large for the population, and the towers not only reached for heaven, they established dominance.

Later we went to Alcola, a village five km away. The roads in Alcola were dug up to put in pipes, which would then be covered with grooved material that looked like paving stones. The process was taking place in many towns and villages, including the small square in Beniaya. Squares are an appealing part of the design of every village and city in Spain.

Dinner was in Patro in a small bar called "Emilio´s." We were the only English-speaking people in the bar, but we got a friendly greeting from Emilio, his wife, and his son. The Spanish people in the bar were enjoying themselves and several had lots of character in their faces. I would have liked to take their pictures. I have done this with children, with parents´ permission, but I felt it would be an intrusion in this case.

When our long drive neared Granada, we saw simple caves and bigger caves with house exteriors built on. We got accommodation in Hostal Albero, a two-star, one-month-old clean and warm place with a firm bed and good shower.

We walked the Albaicin, the ancient residential area, and the Arab market until all except Gordon were foot weary.

Alhambra Click to enlarge

Lion's Court Click to enlarge

The next day we went to see the highlight of Granada, the Alhambra. We got English recordings to play at various spots along the walk, used our ticket reservations (start at 9:30 and be done by 2:00 p.m.), and headed out. We discovered that we could have walked much of the area before our beginning time of 9:30, but the time was assigned to limit the number of people in the key areas of the buildings. We bought postcards because it was hard to do justice to the architecture and decoration with the crowds and poor light.

The loose term "Alhambra" actually includes many buildings and gardens in a large area, though originally it referred to a very large castle. The oldest part is the Alcazaba which means "fortress." Later kings added palaces and gardens. The arches, columns, paired windows, reflecting pools, layering of views, designs, tile, wood carvings, landscaping, fountains, gates, and decorated ceilings revealed a sophisticated culture that appreciated art. The carved plaster ceilings were unlike anything I´ve ever seen. I found the honeycomb dome of the Sala de las Dos Hermanes (the Hall of the Two Sisters) the most impressive.

The area is overwhelming. I´d like to focus on the Nasrid Palaces for one whole visit. It would take repeated visits at a time when the gardens are in bloom to develop a better appreciation. The audiotapes would work for serious history buffs, but visual learners are probably overwhelmed by them.

We stayed next at a B&B near Carmona. Then on the morning of February 26, we caught a public bus to Seville. The bus was inexpensive and took less than an hour to reach Seville.

The Alcazar Click to enlarge

Alcazar Tiles Click to expand

We walked to the Alcazar, a fortress that became a palace, with patios, a striking pavilion, a maze, and gardens. The Mudejar architecture and decoration, including tiles, plaster work, and patterned ceilings were, as the Brits would say, "Brilliant." The "Catedral" is the world´s third largest. We walked the 35 or 36 ramps up the tower. The view at the top was excellent but wind and rain soon forced us down. We walked the Barrio de Santa Cruz with its narrow streets and homes with glorious tiles and plants in the entries. The city impressed us.

The next day we visited a parador for coffee. It was good to see one of these historical sites supported by the government as a hotel. The front was old palace.

The variety of eating places in Spain is remarkable. We saw one place decorated with plastic hams hanging from the ceiling, but we also saw real hams used that way. Lunch in Carmona included interesting tapas, such as stuffed red peppers. The little meals such as tapas were often the best. Perhaps it was because we tended to eat in inexpensive places, but I did not find fish in Spain appealing. Tipping is not common but done when the meal or service proved exceptional. At bars,people often leave the change.

To be continued.

Lew Carter sends this thoughtful piece:

NAILS IN THE FENCE

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn´t lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out; but it won´t matter how many times you say I´m sorry, the wound will still be there.

"A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Remember that friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us."

Pat Moore shares this all-too-familiar lament:

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER...

When I was in my younger days,
I weighed a few pounds less;

I needn´t hold my tummy in
to wear a belted dress.

But now that I am older
I´ve set my body free!

There´s comfort of elastic
where my waist used to be.

Inventors of those high-heeled shoes
my feet have not forgiven;

I have to wear a nine now,
But used to wear a seven.

And how about those pantyhose ...
They´re sized by weight, you see,

So how come when I put them on,
the crotch is at my knees?

I need to wear these glasses
and the prints are getting smaller;

And it wasn´t very long ago
I know that I was taller.

Though my hair has turned to silver
and my skin no longer fits,

On the inside, I´m the same old me,
Just the outside´s changed a bit.

Hang in there, friend, we still got it.
It´s just not where it used to be!

Carol Hansen forwards this one:

PROOF THAT MEN HAVE BETTER FRIENDS...

* Friendship among Women *

A woman didn´t come home one night. The next morning she told her husband that she had slept over at a friend´s house. The man called his wife´s 10 best friends. None of them knew anything about it.

* Friendship among Men *

A man didn´t come home one night. The next morning he told his wife that he had slept over at a friend´s house. The woman called her husband´s 10 best friends. Eight confirmed that he had slept over, and two said he was still there.

Catherine Nesbitt sends this warning:

DON´T EAT CHICKEN SANDWICHES, NO MATTER WHAT ...

A little boy and a little girl attended the same school and became friends. Every day they would sit together to eat their lunch. They discovered that they both brought chicken sandwiches every day. This went on all through the fourth and fifth grades, until one day he noticed that her sandwich wasn´t chicken.

He said, "Hey, how come you´re not eating chicken? Don´t you like it anymore?"

She said, "I love it, but I have to stop eating it."

"Why?" he asked.

She pointed to her lap and said, "´Cause I´m starting to grow little feathers down there!"

"Let me see," he said.

"Okay," and she showed him.

He looked and said, "That´s right. You are! Better not eat any more chicken."

He kept eating his chicken sandwiches until one day he brought peanut butter. He said to the little girl, "I have to stop eating chicken sandwiches. I´m starting to get feathers down there too!"

She asked if she could look, so he showed her.

She said, "Oh, my God, it´s too late for you! You´ve already got the neck and gizzards!"

Tom Williamson sends

SOME RULES OF LIFE

1. Never give yourself a haircut after three margaritas.

2. You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn´t move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn´t, use the tape.

3. The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship are: "I apologize," and "You are right."

4. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

5. When you make a mistake, make amends immediately. It´s easier to eat crow while it´s still warm.

6. The best advice that your mother ever gave you was, "Go! You might meet somebody!"

7. If he/she says that you are too good for him/her - believe them.

8. Learn to pick your battles. Ask yourself, "Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day?"

9. Never pass up an opportunity to pee.

10. If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance!

11. Living well really is the best revenge. Being miserable because of a bad or former relationship just might mean that the other person was right about you.

12. Work is good, but it´s not that important. [ED. NOTE: It is if you need it and don´t have it!]

RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

Betty Fehlhaber forwards a link to a video in slow motion which captures the wonders of various creatures going about the essential business of pollination:

Catherine Nesbitt sends this link to a video from the small Yupiq Eskimo village of Quinhagak, Alaska, which was a school computer project intended for the other Yupiq villages in the area. Much to the villagers´ shock, over a half million people have viewed it:

Don Henderson suggests this site for a National Geographic video of a spirit bear, filmed on north Vancouver Island:

Pat Moore sends this URL for a video of dancing pendulums; the resulting patterns in this short video are fascinating. Read the article before watching the video:

Pat also recommends this site for a video of cats that actually like water:

For those who enjoy clowns, this video features Slava Polunin, said to be the best in the world:

In this inspiring talk at the NextGen:Charity conference, Sasha Dichter of the Acumen Fund shares the results of his month-long "Generosity Experiment," where he said "yes" to every request for help:

Texas blew billions on a crime-fighting system that didn´t work, and now the Conservatives want to do the same in Canada - but we can still stop them. Let´s ditch the crime bill by signing this petition calling on our Premiers to stand with Quebec, Ontario, and Canadian taxpayers. Click below to be heard and forward to everyone:

To check out the features of the "freedictionary", which changes daily, go to