Travels with Taffy and Other Tales

Amy’s First Christmas Recital

There was a wonderful country inn style restaurant named “The Butcher Block” in the middle of the village of Hockley, Ontario, Canada.  The year was 1978, Amy was three and Jody still going everywhere in her car seat.  The restaurant was owned by Hugh and Sonja Close.  We knew them quite well, after this event we knew them a little better.

It was near Christmas and Cheryl’s Mum and Dad, my in-laws were visiting.  One evening, it might have been Christmas Eve, off we went to The Butcher Block for dinner.  Gerry, that’s Amy’s Grandpa, filled Amy’s glass with a little wine and as the time passed, unbeknownst to us he refilled it a time or two.  Amy by now was a little less shy than normal, and she began singing Christmas Carols at the table.  It was not a large restaurant.  Everyone was listening.  Hugh Close, the proprietor asked if he could borrow Amy for a few minutes.  Off they went hand in hand through a door at the side of the restaurant which led to Hugh’s home which was attached to the restaurant.

Several minutes rolled by and we wondered if they were lost.  The door finally opened, and Amy and Hugh came through it with big smiles on their faces.  Amy headed back to our table and Hugh headed for the restaurant’s sound system which was playing Christmas Carols.  He took a cassette from his pocket and inserted it in the tape deck.  In a few moments, Amy’s little voice was filling the room with Christmas Carols and songs.  People began to sing along.

A woman at a table a few feet away beckoned Amy to her table.  From her purse, she extracted an Eeyore stuffed animal which she gave to Amy.  I think Amy still has Eeyore.  I do wish I could remember the woman’s name.  I do know that she had just opened a small craft store down the road at Violet Hill on Highway 89 named “Granny Taught Us How”.

The snow was falling, Amy was singing, and we had a great meal.

Who could ask for more?

Epilog for this tale

After writing the above story, I searched the internet to find www.mrsmitchells.net.  Mrs. Mitchell’s is the website for both Granny Taught Us How and Mrs. Mitchell’s restaurant. Just before Christmas 2002 as I started writing these tales, I sent an email to try and learn the name of the “woman” who gave Eeyore to Amy in the story above.

I received the following reply:

Mr. Cane,

My name is Heidi and I am the daughter of that “woman” in the restaurant. My mother’s name is Maureen Baufeldt.

I just received your story and I phoned my mother right away to read it to her. She recalls that night and we certainly remember the Eeyore because she used to make them.

It is so nice to hear that she touched your life in a small way back then but I am writing to tell you how much you have just touched hers.

My mother has just completed an enormous amount of treatment for breast cancer. She is the toughest lady I have ever known and she has just heard word that she has beaten the cancer. Although she is very happy to know she is well, the cancer has affected her in ways I cannot explain. She is forever fearful that it is still lingering inside her and is therefore often sad. The fact that so many years later you have attempted to find her to tell her your story has lifted her spirits like you cannot imagine.

I am a true believer that all things happen for a reason and although you may not have intended to, you have just made her Christmas such a special one.

Thank you,

Heidi