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elle es | e »> | o| @ > [J e | @ ele » ° > ¢ * ® ry LJ y ° Last week it happened. We took my four- year-old daughter to the pet department of a local store, and she spotted a guinea pig. Just a few years ago, | had fought and won the last battle. | remember it well. A dog is what | had wanted. Powerful, intelligent, affectionate, a friend-companion and tacit conversationalist to pass away idle hours in front of the fireplace. : Instead, | got Herbert, the compromise. A half-pound of stupid, unloving, celery-chewing guinea pig. It's not that | hadn't tried to be understand- ing. Herbert's arrival had not been celebrated with displays of affection and happiness on my part, but | did offer to provide a plastic bucket for a nest and a spot in the fruit cellar. No way. The black and white rodent demanded a place of prominence in a box in the kitchen within tripping distance of the fridge. At this select location, he scratched, chewed, gnawed and made other revolting noises. | even tried to see some worth in the animal, some sign of intelligence. But lengthy obser- vations of the guinea pig in action leaves the conclusion that they ate, slept, and smelled. Herbert was incredibly dumb...and ugly. Like the time | placed the ratty beast on the kitchen table to feed him his favourite dish... rotten carrots. After a few minutes of watching those yellow teeth chiselling the vegetable, | "had enough. Herbert must have sensed my displeasure, because he waddled to the other end of the table and gingerly stepped off the end. THUD! | put him on the table again. THUD! ...Again. THUD! | was beginning to like Herbert. Stupid, maybe. But with a sense of humour. My new-found recreation was short-lived, however, after my stool-pigeon son brought a back-handed slap and a lecture from my wife. "No problem,'" I'd told her. "He lands on his head." Meanwhile, Herbert had scrambled off to the living room where he was methodically eating his way across the shag rug. My revenge on the furry creature...or so | thought...came when | gleefully discovered the animal was too dumb to drink. It was thirsty, alright, judging from those revolting noises it made when a tray of water was placed in the box. But Herbert just lunged at it, stuck his nose in it, splashed it about a bit, then gave it up for a lost cause. The mental strain of eating and sleeping, apparently, had taxed his brain to such an extent that there was nothing remaining to allow him to drink. So, with more vigor than I'd experienced in years, | jumped out of bed every morning for a . week, fully expecting to find one dehydrated animal lying stiff-legs-skyward in the corner of the box. And every morning, my secret delight was dashed as the tiny camel-like creature greeted me on hind legs, bulbous eyes glaring, teeth gnawing on a corner of the box. A bottle was later purchased with a connect- ing L-shaped aluminum tube that fed ol' bug-eyes. iderbert used the tube with enthus- iasm, the yellow chompers attacking the metal "nipple'" with great clanking and clacking noises. (Heaven help mother guinea pigs). Herbert and [ tolerated each other for the rest of his short little life. But when he finally did kick the ol' tube, we all felt bad. Even me. | waited a respectable two days before | got the dog. S Fhe. JG PHOTOS © Whddings Ld Portraits vd Fcrns, Groups 2 of ¥ ial ommercia Waiting patiently for action PORT PERRY STAR -- Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1975 -- 3 Fight not over, say women Those would-be women firefighters from Caesarea haven't exactly been waiv- ing placards in front of Scugog firehalls or township offices, but according to the women, the fight isn't over. "We are waiting patiently * at this point and will do so for a little while longer until we hear back from the report council requested," Said Maxine McMillen, one of the women who have applied for a position on the department. Council moved three weeks ago to contact the fire marshall's office to estab- lish if there is a policy in regards to the question of women on fire departments. The Caesarea women claim that they've been des- criminated against by Len Scott, chief of the Caesarea branch of the Scugog fire department. - They claim their applications for volun- teer firemen were passed over by Chief Scott because they are women. Although the ladies have Olympic Lottery Tickets available at the Port Perry Star 985-7383 EEE EEO AEE AEE SRE OREO PREREEOOA TR ERO EORLORRCORRRERRRR RRB RRRRROERLN stated in a letter to Scugog Council that there are "de- termined to carry this mat- ter through to the end," and include representation to the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Depart- ment of Labour, Women's Bureau. They aren't pre- pared to say what comes next. "We'll just to see what the report (fire marshall) says," said Mrs. McMillen. She said the ladies would have to get together and plan the next move...to do something in unison. "But at this point I really can't say exactly what we'll do next." Local lawyer heads commission "Mr T. Jermyn, a lawyer with the Port Perry law firm of Kelly, Jermyn, Zuly and Matthews, is the new chair- man of the five-member Board of Commissioners of Police for the Durham Regional Police Force. One of three members of the board appointed by the province, Mr. Jermyn will step up to the chairmanship in this third year of his three-year appointment. The two other members of the board appointed by the Lieutenant Governor are Judge J. P. Kelly and Lorne Graham. Regional council- lors Jack Anderson and Alan Dewar are the appointed representatives. The police commission has the responsibility of policing and maintaining law and order in Durham Region, and is the policy- setting body over the police department. For the Port lawyer, the job is more than AI ox \\\ O locally- Perry Pant Coats \ Pant Suits *22% -%329% "Two Piece Dresses an-appointment to be serv- ed. "I've always been inter- estred in the operations of the police," he said, 'so when I was approached about the appointment, I accepted." He sees the job of the commission as a very im- portant one, and takes pride in the performance and reputation of the force. "There is sufficient self satisfaction that comes with it that I can honestly say I 00000000000 ES A.W. BROCK 1D) OF 2 3 IL 0 DP ASH N @) 393 enim Skirts & Tops $495 FRED'S HOBBY SHOP 233 Queen Street - Port Perry - 985-8035 has added Craft Supplies to serve you better $9895 enjoy it and get a lot out of it. But getting a lot out of it certainly doesn't mean financially, according to Mr. Jermyn. 'It certainly isn't a paying proposition," He smiled. The commission meets regularly twice .a month, most of the meetings being in the evening hours. " There are also periodic special meetings during the year as well. Capes Girl's Pant Suits $1100 - $1300 $9495 Cardi gan Sweaters $850 - $1695 Pullovers Short Sleeve 3895 _ $192% Lofig Sleeve 13" %, 0. 510% eT v y seveless EORTC EEE TERE EEE EE ETO LR LEER ~ Te oT AR. yo fond EN a re os rs, le. RIS Te on