Some Day the Sun Will Shine and Have Not Will Be No More by Brian Peckford Page B

and we are all the better for
     it.
    God bless Eva—my Mrs. Coish.

    AND THEN MY EXPERIENCES with Bert, Mr. Coish. One such
     experience sticks in my mind.
    We were chugging along on the southern coast of Labrador in August on our way
     to Square Islands, the northern part of my welfare district and the summer
     fishing place for the people of Charlottetown.
    “Bert, boy, this is the final leg of our trip,” I said.
    “Yes, we’ve had quite a trip so far, Pecky, my boy,” Bert responded. “You’ve
     seen a lot of new places and met a lot of people. Remember that young fellow in
     George’s Cove who had the same birthday as you and he was just a few years
     older? Too bad he is so sick. And our trip in to Port Hope Simpson—what a
     brilliant day that was—and going in that narrow passage you exclaimed, ‘Wow,
     it’s like the Everglades.’”
    “And you’re still laughing at that, Bert,” I retorted. “It sure was aspecial time going in that narrow passageway—the sun glistening
     on the placid water, the boat gliding slowly as we listened to the
     silence.”
    “Now, boy, that’s getting just a bit too poetic.” Bert laughed. “Who was it you
     said you studied in St. John’s at the university? Some William Something, wasn’t
     it?”
    “William Wordsworth,” I replied. “He was quite the poet, Bert.”
    “So you keep saying! I’ll have to look him up in one of my big books when we
     get back home,” Bert said.
    It was about three o’clock. We had spent the previous night in Sandy Hook with
     Bert’s old friends. We were late getting away because I went out early in the
     morning hauling the cod trap with the local fishermen.
    “So, how long a steam to Square Islands, Bert?”
    “We will be there by suppertime. I was thinking that we should stay at Ches
     Campbell’s place when we arrive. I have known Ches and his family for a long
     time. They have a two-storey house, extra bedrooms, and two beds with feather
     mattresses—a good sleep for sure.”
    Around six o’clock we came around the point forming the little harbour where
     the Campbells lived and tied up to the stage. Ches rushed down to greet us.
     “Well, I thought it was you from the boat. It’s good to see you, Bert. I missed
     seeing you last year.”
    “I did not get down here last year. The welfare officer got sick and was unable
     to travel overnight.”
    “Well, I am glad you could get here this year,” Ches said. He was a short,
     stumpy man with a full weather-beaten face and large but short arms and he was
     sporting a sou’wester. “This must be the new relieving officer that is with you,
     Bert.”
    “Yes, this is Brian Peckford from the island. He’s going to university in St.
     John’s.”
    “Boy, I think they gets younger every year, Bert. But sir, I am sure you knows
     what you’re doing, with all that university stuff.”
    “Well, I don’t know about that, Mr. Campbell, but I will do my best,” I
     said.
    We climbed up the stage and walked into the shed onshore.
    “Boy, that is a lot of fish under salt,” I said. “Must be well over two
     hundred quintal.”
    “Good guess, there. Close to three hundred, I reckon.”
    “It has been a good season; we started in early July and it has been good every
     week since. This morning we had ten to fifteen barrels and this afternoon we got
     another seven.”
    “Good,” said Bert. “Mr. Peckford here was out this morning in Sandy Hook with
     the fishermen. They had ten barrels. So the fishing has been good at most places
     along the coast.”
    “I don’t know if the missus has anything on the stove. Bert, me son, if we had
     known you were coming, we could have had something in the pot,” Ches
     said.
    “Ah, not to worry, Ches. Peckford and I have eaten well on this trip and we had
     a late breakfast at Sandy Hook.”
    “Well, I am sure the missus could scrounge up something. We got a few early
     mackerel this morning.”
    We entered the house and