In public school, whenever we visited the Welland Public Library, before we even got to smell the books, our class would be ushered into the AV room. As we took our seats on the floor, the librarian would roll out the film projector and welcome us to the library. She'd flick the light switches and the projector would start rolling...3....2....1....blink...and the screen would come alive with a story from the National Film Board-stories that are woven into the fabric of our Canadian identity.
This Christmas, I worked at Family & Company, the most wonderful toy store one could imagine. The wooden floors creak, Frosty and Soldier Boy dance in the windows, everywhere there are beautiful and unique items that are virtually undiscoverable in regular departments stores. The staff sing Christmas songs throughout the season and offer you a teacup full of hot apple cider as they lovingly wrap your gifts.
This year we offered a very special item homegrown in St. Mary's called the Hockey Sockey, made by the creators of the Pook Touque. Hockey Sockeys are toques meant to look like hockey pants and they come in colours for each of the NHL's teams.
One fateful day a woman came in to buy a small boy a Hockey Sockey. "What team would you like?" I asked expectantly and the woman replied, "...well his coat is red so I'll get that one." She pointed at the red and white one, the Detroit Red Wings. I inhaled sharply, failing to hide my shock and surprise. It was the NFB's film The Sweater all over again:
http://www.nfb.ca/playlists/hockey_movies/viewing/sweater/
heehee!
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