I was checking out the bulletin board
for what they had on hand;
there was house-sitters and sock-knitters,
besides the handy man.
There was someone with a skidoo
that’s offered up for sale,
with little paper tabs like bangs
listing his e-mail.
Old Buddy offers fire-woods,
“woods” what he wrote down…
and he offers free delivery
as long as it’s in town.
There’s a craft sale at the Legion,
and a kid’s show at the NACC,
Some lady offers money
just to get her doggie back.
But something on that bulletin board
down low and on the side…
A person looking to help pay costs
if he could get a ride.
He wanted to head Down South
it didn’t matter when;
I got a sudden big idea
and formed a plan right then.
I phoned this guy and told him
that he could ride with me,
if he would share the driving
and pay for our coffee.
“Oh I don’t really like coffee,” he said
“And I can’t drive a standard car”
“Well, never mind we’ll just drink tea”
I said “and we’re not going very far”
“So, how are you with a map?” I asked;
“I’ve got no G.P.S.”
“North is on the top of the page,
so pretty good I guess.”
Well then I told him “meet me,
at the Gold Range coffee bistro,
we’ll eat a big old breakfast
and then we’ll up and go”
Now everything was working
according to the plan,
but imagine how surprised I was,
when I found out it was… Dan!
You know Dan, the councillor-man
youngest on the team;
the City’s future shining star
who likes the colour green.
He sure seemed quite excited,
his enthusiasm wasn’t fake;
when I said I wanted to drive Down South
and check out a couple lakes.
So he jumped up from the table
and he ran to Mary’s till.
Not only did he tip her big
he even paid my bill!
We stepped out in the sunshine
and walked over to my car.
I fired all four cylinders
but I didn’t drive it far.
“Why are we stopping at the Visitors’ centre?”
said the curious little chap;
“I’m not sure how to get there”
I said, “so I want to get a map.”
Well we got our map and headed south
down Franklin Avenue,
Mother nature’s sun shone bright
the sky was pretty blue.
We passed the school, the fire-hall
drove by the Multi-plex,
Councillor Dan had a puzzled look
and wondered what was next.
“I gotta stop and get some fuel,
I hope that you don’t mind.
Then we can follow our noses,
and see what we might find.
We pull out of the Bassett’s
where they have the fuel card lock,
We stopped and looked at an old house boat
that was sitting in ‘dry dock.’
Then we pushed our way onwards
South through the industrial park
past rusted broken-down old trucks,
we heard some doggies bark.
“Let’s stop a while and check this out
we’ll give our legs a shake.”
Then councillor Dan and me went down
to get bull-rushes from Kam Lake.
“Well what are we doing here? he asked.
“I thought we we going south?”
“We did, we are,” I told him
with a smile on my mouth.
Then I said that every road-trip
needs a coffee break mid way,
so we ought to stop at Horton’s
for a steeped cup of Earl Grey
We faced the grid-lock of the drive-through
then I spoke into a sign…
“Did I want a double double?
No, two teas would do just fine.”
Then we meandered
through the Walmart parking lot,
we couldn’t sip our steeped teas
because they were too hot.
“Better get that map out Dan,
we’re headed where I’ve never went
I asked a local “Where was I?”
He told me Ward Crescent.
Then Councillor Dan said “turn left here.”
Down Borden Drive we went.
“Have you got our position on that map?”
“Yes,” he said “one hundred ten percent!”
Next, we happened on a crosswalk.
I paused to sip my tea,
Range Lake North the sign said
and a thought occurred to me.
“I wonder why they call it North
on a lake Down South this far…
I sure would like to get there,
can we make it in this car?”
Then Councillor Dan with his map in hand
said “go North on Stevens Crescent.”
He pointed out with civic pride,
the green bins omnipresent.
We went right on Rivett Crescent
and left on Kasteel Drive.
I saw a sign that read Wong Court,
I told him “Let’s take five.”
“Say now, Councillor Dan” I said,
“is this named after you?”
“No, no,” he said. “A different Wong,
from another time or two.”
We checked out all five houses
that stood in a rounded line.
And when Dan wasn’t looking,
I climbed up and stole the sign.
“C’mon,“ I said, “We gotta go.”
We made our get-a-way,
“you say that you don’t want that sign,
but you’ll thank me another day.”
We moseyed round to Magrum
after cruising Kasteel Drive.
I read a wanted poster
for some cat: ‘dead or alive.’
We made our way down Borden,
east on Butler, we had come.
We stopped beside the pump-house five,
I heard a white-noise hum.
“Follow me!” said Councillor Dan,
on the foot-path by the fence,
all bordered in with willows,
growing ‘round there mighty dense.
We stopped and took a selfie
down on that Range Lake shore.
We picked some willow roses,
then back up the path once more.
Then Councillor Dan said “that was fun,”
when we got back to my car.
“It’s nice to take a trip Down South,
without going very far!”
So the next week when I’m shopping
at the Weaver’s & Devore,
I noticed a little poster
on the bulletin board by the door.
SCENIC SOUTHERN LAKE TOURS
IN A LUXURIOUS CARAVAN
daily tours, affordable rates,
contact Councillor Dan.
