Home-Home

I am in Chatham. The C-dot! errr something...

I came home to see my Tom play the role of John Proctor in Theatre Kent's production of THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller. I will be attending the theatre tonight, and am anxious to see Tom in John. (figuratively speaking, of course...)

On my lovely drive home (did anyone else witness that gorgeous pink and orange sunset?), I pondered the concept of growing up in a place like Chatham. I thought about the plethora of brilliance that lives there and that which has leaked out into other parts of the world. The inter-connectedness of it all. Sure, we Chathamites are the first to laugh at ourselves. We toss around criticisms here and there, acting all butch about our roots, but LOVE is braver than our tongue, and everyone loves their HOME. "Home-Home" is what we folks call it, when we no longer reside. "Home-Home" is how we decipher Chatham from where we actually lay our heads at night. I'm going "Home-Home"...

I have composed a TOP TEN LIST of sure signs that you "did some time" in Chatham:

10. You don't have to be a sport's fan to know who Fergie Jenkins is! (Gosh, I wished that sign said --- HOME OF TARA DUFFY----oh come on!, YOU know you've all inserted YOUR name once or twice!)

9. You often hear your own voice saying, "It's in between London and Windsor".

8. It doesn't matter how many Beautiful Baristas you surround yourself with, you still feel oddly attracted to good ole TIM HORTONS! (did you know that Chatham has the largest number of Tim Hortons locations per capita than any other city in Canada?)

7. Two words --- RED FEATHER! --- The concept of this weekend bash ("We've got Broom-ball, We've got Broom-ball *clap-clap*!) made you want to pee your pants with excitement when you were in grade 9!

(“Red Feather Weekend” is the United Way of Chatham-Kent's single largest special event fundraiser. This special weekend, totally devoted to the high-school students of Chatham-Kent, is completely organized by the United Way of Chatham-Kent’s Youth Committee. Did anyone know that I was on that committee in 1991? I will have to insert photo-proof when I get my scanner!)

6. Two more words for you: GOOSE NECK! ("Fire's Burning. Fire's Burning. Draw Nearer. Draw Nearer. In the Glowing. In the Glowing. Come sing and be merry...." - beach parties!---ahhh GOOD TIMES!)

5. You still say, "Let's go to 'the mall'. (There's was only one...)

4. You still say, "Let's go to 'the show'. (There's was only one...)

3. You are absolutely CONVINCED that we are the home of the BEST NACHOS in the world! (I don't even have to name it, because YOU KNOW!)

2. The words; NAVISTAR, UNION GAS, and RM RESTORATION are somehow connected to you in six degrees or less.

1. You DEFINITELY lost a summer or two to the title of DETASSLER! (gosh, you might even have blossomed into a CREW LEADER...)

Peace, Love and Salem Witches! (Tara Good)
xoT.