Ross and Tish James

MEMORIES: JAMES / MATTISON                Toronto 1965/67

Keith’s  Intro to the finer things of life.

Keith, Ruth, Ross & I were all newlyweds in 1965. We met in an elevator in a new block of apartments in Toronto. We were all moving into our first homes.

Keith and Ruth came from good, solid, stock; Ruth a Baptist, and Keith Salvation Army. A drop of alcohol had never officially passed their lips. Regrettably we introduced them to the dreaded “drink” and the rest is history.

Keith the City Tour Guide.

He would drive us all over Toronto at breakneck speed, in a tiny green MG sports car. We were terrified at being driven on the right hand side of the road and of Keith’s crazy driving. To prevent an early death in a foreign country, Ross bought an old clapped out rusty, Ford Falcon. We no longer needed to go anywhere in the MG and needless to say Keith was scathing about our purchase.

Keith the teacher.

We decided to play bridge together.

Keith was our arrogant, flamboyant, impatient teacher. Ruth rolled her eyes. We were baffled at his incomprehensible explanations about the game. Things took a turn for the worst when Ruth served water tumblers full of sherry. We all fought vociferously. The game came to an abrupt end when Keith bashed Ruth on the head with a “Shorter English Oxford Dictionary” because she trumped his trick. We blamed the whole sorry state of affairs on South Africa for shipping lousy, cheap sherry to innocent Canadians!

Keith the Gentleman.

We had a key party. Keith said that he hoped like hell that he did not get my key. I replied that he had an unfriendly attitude towards a newly arrived FBB (the Canadians called us Foreign Born Bastards). I am happy to say that this party was our only flop.

Keith the nature lover.

His idea of a picnic was to take a stack of beers and sit on the sloping grassland above the Don River Parkway and watch 8 lanes of traffic roaring by in opposite directions.

No bubbling brook, nor trees, nor birds and nor flowers for us!.

Keith the pianist.

We dragged and pushed their piano across the “hall” from their apartment to ours for a party. It got late – there was a loud tapping at our door. Ross & I were confronted by two fierce looking, red jacketed, Royal Canadian Mountain Police. They told us that if we did not stop that racket on the piano (Keith was furious) they would impound it. We told them to go ahead as it was not our piano. They ended up joining the party!

Keith the friend

Our three year stay in Toronto was enriched by our friendship with Keith and Ruth.

They gave us anything we asked for. When we left we asked them to come to South Africa.

They have given generously to life in South Africa. It is families such as the Mattison family that make SA a colourful and wonderfully friendly nation.

L’chaim – to life!!

Penned by Tish.

13 June 2014