Homeless in Vancouver

Homeless in Vancouver: Prairie Christmas tradition

by Stanley Q. Woodvine on December 3rd, 2013 at 8:34 AM
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      Just off Cambie Street, there’s a sight to warm a Prairie boy’s heart—the traditional Christmas lights on the tractor.

      Why, I can still remember the Christmas when Uncle Elmer got all liquored-up and decided to put the lights on the the Massey Ferguson on a particularly moonless night during a snowstorm.

      Turned out, not only was corn whiskey a good conductor of electricity, but its effects could render a person insensible to electrocution. That was our “Christmas by candlelight”.

      You may think there’s not a word of truth in that story but remember, prairie folks do not lie, at least not about the weather—it really was snowing.

      Stanley Q. Woodvine is a homeless resident of Vancouver who has worked in the past as an illustrator, graphic designer, and writer.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      cathy

      Dec 3, 2013 at 8:31pm

      Too funny!

      There's a guy out here in Ladner who festoons his tractor up with lights, hitches it to a flatbed and hauls folks around looking at the Christmas lights.
      Don't know if liquor is involved though......