Ground Swell

By Jim Hagarty
2012

We are not used to earthquakes in our part of the world, thank God. I remember being frightened out of my mind looking at artists’ conceptions of the earth opening up and people falling into the cracks. I was sure such an event was right around the corner for us.

My Dad didn’t help matters much by telling his kids of an earthquake that did strike this area when he was young. I don’t think the centre of the quake was anywhere near the Stratford area but Dad said he remembered seeing the pictures on the wall at home swaying back and forth. Had it not been for seeing that, he might not have even known a quake had struck.

Fortunately, so far, I have not been gobbled up by any sudden opening in the ground but I’m always on the lookout!

Author: Jim Hagarty

I am a 72-year-old retired journalist, busy recovering from a lifelong career as an unretired journalist. This year marks a half century of my scratching out little fables about life. My interests include genealogy, humour and music. I live in a little blue shack in Canada and spend most of my time trying to stay out of trouble. I am not that good at it. I also spent years teaching journalism. Poor state of journalism today: My fault. I have a family I don't deserve, a dog that adores me, and two cars the junk yard refuses to accept. My prized possessions include my old guitar and a razor my Dad gave me when I was 14 and which I still use when I bother to shave. Oh, and my great-great-grandfather's blackthorn stick he brought from Ireland in the 1850s. I have only one opinion but it is a good one: People take too many showers.