It's 'Garage Sale' day and the phone rings. Squiddy patters down the stairs and makes an announcement: 'Melbah, your dear sister, has ordered that we be ready for the Garage Sale at 9:52am. I have a look of shock and horror on my face. I'm doing important things here. It's Saturday; I have blogs to write. I don't have time for 'GARAGE SALES'. "Well, you can write your sister about it if you like" mom says. (Which translates into: 'Don't even bother to try to get out of it. Be ready." )
So I haul my sorry butt into Squiddy's car and off we go. We take a country drive down Erbsville Road and Mom announces: 'Stevie, it's just over that rise. When we get there, I am counting on you to do the talking." I have no idea what I am going to do.
But then I see a woman frantically waving cars into the parking lot. "Oh My God, that's her.
That's the accordion player." Melissa parks the car a discreet distance from the event and we get out. At first I'm thinking I will just look around before saying hello but then I see those arms waving and realize there is only one way to proceed. I head straight for the crazy woman with the flailing arms. As Elaine sees me, I start to say: "Hi Elaine. Remember me? We met the other day at Home Depot." I got as far as: "Helloooo..." and suddenly she shrieks.
"Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeve! Hey everybody, it's Steve! This is the guy I was talking about from the other day" and suddenly it seems that the whole parking lot of people stop what they are doing to witness this event. I come up to her and we hug like long lost friends. Elaine starts introducing me to everyone and telling them: "He just got back from India and Thailand" and he showed the movie of us playing the accordion, all over the World" (which is technically true).
The next thing I know, Elaine is introducing me to her brother, Elmer, and Olaf Olson; Pastor of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church here in Erbsville. Then a guitar comes out and a crowd is forming. I didn't dare look around but my sister and Mom both have their cameras out and this is suddenly turning into a World Event. Elaine (who I think should be running the Home Shopping Network) is ready for her cue. I point to her and say: "We're rolling Elaine" and here's what happens.
Elaine cracks me up. She starts by saying: "Steve is here at the Garage Sale as he is every year" even though I only met her for the first time the other day. She has single-handedly made this visit into an anual event. She's a wonderful promoter. I think CTV is missing out.
Everything is so surrealistic and these people make us feel welcome as if we're part of the family.
We walk around the tables looking at the stuff for sale and find Elmer with a purchase in his hands.
This is a quilt that Elaine made for the raffle here at the Church Sale. My sister and Mom bought tickets for it. (In case you're interested Elaine, my sister has a website showing the work she does in this area. See here site [Quilts And Handiwork]
As we're leaving, I ask Elaine to take her photo and she grabs Kelsey (far right) to Squiddy and Melbah in the picture. I hope I hear from my new friends in Erbsville. You guys are a blast and you make me feel very welcome here in Ontario.
And for my friends in Alberta, I just want you to see the fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror on Elmer's Classic Car. When I first moved to Alberta in the late 'Seventies, I saw these all over the place in Calgary and Medicine Hat. So now I really feel at home here in Ontario too.
Thanks Elaine and Rudy for leading us to this incredible Erbsville World Reunion.
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