Divine Intervention? Part II

by Cynthia L. MacKinnon-Morris

That Labour Day weekend saw the advent of "Cheese Festival." The entire downtown portion of Arthur is blocked off to vehicles and set-up with displays of local wares, concession stands (all basically offering the same fries and cotton candy), booths, etc. The highlight of the street for me was the Republican candidate's booth--NOT that I am in any way, shape or form anything remotely even resembling a REP--but I scored a decent handful of red, white and blue Mardi Gras beads. These were not to be displayed! Horrors no! My scrapbooking/ crafting cache of goodies needed an injection of glittery items.

Anyhow...other exciting events of CF were:
-the Christian Rock band on the town's bandstand,
-the lawn-tractor-pull,
-the World Cheese Curling Championships (which puzzle me to this day--being from Canada, I am all too familiar with the sport of curling--all I can picture is a group of people sweeping rounds of Gouda down the street),
-the GIANT cheese wheel cut up for everyone to taste, and of course
-the CF parade
Innocuous events to be sure...but this year, CF wasn't just held on the Saturday and Monday of the long weekend--these events took place on a SUNDAY! I imagine that more than a few people wondered at the wisdom of using the Sabbath in this manner.

It was during the parade that the unplanned for began to occur. The parade was befitting for a small rural town. It consisted, in most part, of public service vehicles, dignitaries, and politicians campaigning for the upcoming federal election. Scott and I decided to visit some of the stores giving out free samples of locally made food products instead.

The parade was still in its full three-block force when an elderly lady near us fell to the ground, possibly overcome by heat. 9-1-1 was called but the town's ambulance could not be reached. It was still in the middle of the parade.

Meanwhile, down at the other end of town (a good 2 blocks away)came an incredible explosive noise and poof!

A propane tank at a concession stand had exploded! then smoke and flames! one of the deep fryers had caught fire.

The local firetruck was called, but...it too was in the parade. By this time, the ambulance had been contacted, maneuvered out of the parade and had reached the elderly woman. Thankfully. But the fire truck now became an issue--I heard someone yell that with the siren blaring, the dispatcher couldn't be heard by the truck driver in the parade.

Finally, the firetruck made its way out of the parade and attempted to race up the main drag filled with concession stands and people. Ahead of us, an Amish woman directed foot traffic. Someone yelled for the ambulance! Alas, as we turned our heads in the other direction, it was just in time to see the ambulance pull out of town in the opposite direction (with the fallen woman).

Yes, the concession stand was a write-off but no-one had been seriously hurt.

But...Oh no! The town's insurance agency, which stood on the corner behind the burning concession stand has caught fire!!! Phew! the damage was sustained was only superficial. I wonder, do insurance agencies get free insurance? do the owners trust their own brand of insurance? or do they secretly purchase insurance from another company? OR, do they hedge their bets?

Speaking of bets, t'were I a betting person, I'd have to put a goodly amount of clams on this horse: I'd bet that more people than not shook their heads knowingly this's what happens when you operate this level of entertainment on a Sunday. It could have been a Divine Intervention--at least I think so!