PAGE 8
THE NEW CANADIAN
Wednesday, April 23, 1952
emnte
C7
By CINDERELLA
MA COLUMNINST'S OWN KIND OF HELL"
The mind is an absolute blank.
The house is still, charged with a kind of quietness which only Hying things in sleep can create: quiet breathing in the next room; Estrange buzzing of cross currents of sound caught by a tired mind and a-hyper-sensitive ear; a motor stopping in the distance, stopping and starting again; the hum of the frigidaire in the kitchen.
And now the chimes in the living room distinctly, definitely
count off the early morning hours of another day, slowly but surely knocking off first the hours, then the half hours^ then the hours, with all the fatality of ah Oriental gong in a Chinese murder.
The heart thumps. There is a faint response in the brain. A lone thought rises in the vacuum. It struggles feebly like a frightened, enptive bird, struggles vainly for life .. .'�, then dies. A long moment passes. The mind clutches wildly for thoughts in emptiness. A half-thought qui vers for life . . . then another half-thought . and another , ; . and another � each to die, leaving neither.shadow nor substance . . . only aching frustration.
The house sleeps on, unmindful of. a soul in travail.   "
And now the chimes count off the hour, of four. A few hours before deadline and a few. feeble lines in black and white . . . scratched out, retyped, crossed out again. A line of finger exercises . . . "big brown.fox jumps over the big black box". ... .
The frigidaire's hum is louder   now. And there   is faint but
Unmistakable, the croaking of frogs in the distance. The kitchen clock points its black hands to five o'clock. And still no ideas.. A cold sweat covers the body; and becomes concentrated .in the palms of the hands.
The mind struggles. What about all those ideas that came pouring out of it so many eternities ago, fresh and lucid, crystal clear as mountain streams, spontaneous, unforced? Where, are those lorlelei thoughts which lured this soul from the safe confines of a routine job to that of a columnist, forsaken and alone?
Alone . . <. yes,' miserably, desperately alone. Friends cannot help. They have; no sympathy . . . only half-hearted suggestions and generalizations.
The, kitchen clock points to ten minutes after five. Through the window the sky begins; to lighten. Already the dim outlines of familiar buildings come, into familiar focus. A. cold wind rises from the east. The hum of the frigidaire is drowned by the excited croak ing of frogs, noisy and unmindful of human, despair. Did I ever imagine in some wild moment lon�, long ago, that the crying of frogs -was a friendly, lovely sound. Fool that I was' There wav about!their croaking a maddening, shrewish quality. If they wouHl only shut up ... SHUT UP : . . SHUT UP! O MY GOD! 0 MY GOD! y-.'::')- '
The mind makes one final gesture to assert itself, to assemble some vestige of dignity. A thought must come! Mind is indestructible . . . or is it? Perhaps T have no mind. Perhaps I'm all washed
up.    .. : . ..    .-        '�
Another Wild grasping about for ideas. The thought persists � the traitorous one lurking in the foggy background.- of the brrrn-hinting that I'm through as a writer.
I clutch at immediate thoughts to stave off that ono awful thought. The frigidaire shouldn't make that much noise. I --usl see to it that the service man comes up ton,or<-<��*;' w po, f.^ lay I Met my lips;. My tongue touches a cavity. I ;nu^ '..phono- fo>an appointment with the dentist. All I need is a str>ne cup of coffee Of course I'll get an idea. I've done it before. Th;s 'sr.'t the first time. I leave the typewriter. I pour the black c~-fiV.\
The coffee tastes flat and bitter.
I remember Jack Scott of the "Vancouver Sun", "o is'v.�Viler Tie can write about nothing interestingly. If he .'--vu!d - i-'^Mj-a horseback ride oiv an uneventful Sunday. I could Write frogs. -
Essay Mm DcawsJear
Only one week remains until the April 30 deadline for the Ontario-Wide Essay Contest sponsored by the Toronto JCCA. Manuscripts should be mailed to the Essay Contest, Toronto JCCA, 61 College St., Toronto, immediately to qualify for the prizes of $25, $15. and $10 offered for the three best efforts.
Planned by the. Educational Committee to stimulate literary expression and provoke creative thought among young Nisei and Sansei, the contest is open to any person up to IS years of age re: siding anywhere in Ontario. . The title of the essay is "Japanese Canadians and,Their Problems" and the material may be based on any. aspect of the subject.
Length of the essay should hot exceed 1000 words, either written in ink or typewritten double-spaced on one side of the paper. The essay will be judged for individuality of ideas, creative thought and clarity of expression.
The presentation of awards will
be made at one of the Toronto
JCCA functions this season. *.'    * .   +
ASS A)' THAI' US SAY.' . {Dedicated to Essay Writers) 'Though I'm tops mathematical,   ; / just ain't grammatical, But something problematical I .''attacks'' enthusiastical: \V/ith ideas nigh terrifical And diction dramatical/ So' 1 "gnng" assay that essay To-day!
Anonymous.
LIMIT IS 200
An important, but an unanswered question we have is who are more numerous, "eligible" Nisei males or "eligible" Nisei females. Because girls reach the "eligible" stage at an- earlier age than the male species, we suspect the former to be slightly, in excess.
However, for the benefit of those who have retained their bachelor and spinster status, here are some Canadian sex census. . Girls, stay out of the big cities. There's a female surplus there. For instance, Quebec city has 107 femmes for 100 males, in Ottawa, it's 106 to 100. Toronto has 103 is, Montreal 103, Vancouver 102.7 and Winnipeg 104 lb...."'.
If they want, to stay single, men should avoid populous area. They should head for the mining areas in Northern Canada. There's one caution:, once top many men gather in one place they form a town and soon the women will be right out there.
Provinces of B.C., Alta., S.ask., and Newfoundland have more men than women. -..
For your information, Yukon' and the Northwest Territories are the best hunting grounds for the women   and _ the   best   hiding grounds for the men.
APRIL
2&�Toronto. Spring Sound Dance. Music by QuintctU New Band, 7:30-12:30. UNF Hall.
26�Chatham. Kent JCCA and NAC Hospital Benefit Fund Dance, YMCA, 8 p.m.
26�Hamilton. Hamilton Nisei Basketball League Windup Dance, at Casa Romana Hall, . 8 p.m.
Acknowledgements
The New Canadian ackhow ledges with thanks generous do nations from the following:
Mr. Mr. Genkichi Goto, Winnipeg, in memory of late wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Akio-Okimi, Hamilton, on birth of son.
Mr. and Mrs. T. Sakauye, Montreal, on birth of son.
FEMALE HKLP WANTED
FOUR STORE girls wanted for dry-cleaning, good wages, all-year around Work. Phone HA. 6550. Toronto.
GIRL for dry-cleaning store, experience hot hecessarv\ Phon� LP. 6141. Toronto.     " '    �  � :
HOME SEWING, for men's sportswear and wihdbreakers, experienced only. Call RE. 3428, Toronto.
;>0�
I turn.to the typewriter.-It. 'fee!s.'cold' to the touch" � cold wij the-coldness of a stranger. My fingers pick the keys. My hand's". . I never ty^iced iVm � before. Eight' finger? and- "two' thumbs '. .
u gi y. a p pe::'�1 a c. o s re a'.! y :f Jack'
n-'d'or.'t"?
to-holoner to
'.o at a
Frogs i. Perhaps by frogs''. how ever, t
head avhe- .
I fet� 1 a
prac*v.V v :,--re th-r 1 k-
�wrjte- abor.t*trivial thincrs
a now way to' exn'ress the s
1   C.y,
trange r.-:ses mad*--
I type "FROGS" ir canital letters. I li:
.......,
daw
M
GIRL to assist in shipping department in; millinerytrade. Ap ply Juliet Hat, 812 Adelaide St. West. Toronto.
GIRLS, underliner,;pinner, and taper, for blind stitch machine, experienced. Phone WA. 5433, Toronto.
PROPERTY FOR SALE
HOUSE WITH LOT 40 x 125. suitable -for business and "residence, 7'/2 -room?,- full basement. Lane. $25,000; $10,000 cash. LL. 0G52 (Bloor and Dovereourt), Toronto.
Transportation
�Am going back to Kam'oops. B.C.. by-car near the-end of April. .-Willing to give ride. Phone Mr. �Hayashi LA. 6'-'. 78. Toronto.
DOMESTIC HELP .WANTED-
GIRL OR WOMAN, for general housekeeping, modern bungalow, private room, charwoman kept. Call OR. 1353, Toronto.
BUSINESS GIRL to do light duty and baby sitting in. exchange for room and board, Bat hurst and Eglinton, Toronto., Phone OR. 1562..
HELP WANTED
TRUCK DRIVER for gardener, phone RA. 2026, Toronto.
.VOUTH, to work in shipping department of. millinery mfg. Co. Apply American Hat Co., 71 York St.. Toronto. ._�.' ; -
"ROY OR"GIRL, for shipping, opportunity ..for-" advancement, good wages and steady* employment. Applv Title Dress Co., 355 Adelaide St. West, Toronto.
FOR RENT
TWO    ROOMS,   unfurnished,
with -sink. -Young couple with child W-elcome." Phone LL; .0238, after 5 .p.m., Toronto.
ROOM WANTED
ONE ROOM furnished. Phone .Phone EM. r�-5iW>, Toronto.
MAY
3�Toronto. Nisei Open Badminton Tournament Presentation Dance at Metropolitan gym, 8-12 p.m.
3�Montreal. Quebec Japanese Golf Club Social Nite, at St! Raphael House, 8:30 p.m.
3�Toronto. Metropolitan Nisei Mission Circle Annual Cherry Tea, at Metropolitan Church House, 2:30-5 p.m.
3�Vancouver. Maria Stella Club Dance, at Ukrainian Hall, 9�1.
10�Toronto. Western. Baseball Club benefit dance. St. Michael Hall, Bond and Shuter.
23�Toronto.    Toronto    JCCA' Spring Fiesta, at UNF Hall.
OBITUARY
HEIJI YAMASAKI TORONTO � Mr. Heiji Yama-saki, 65, passed away 1 on April 1G at. St. Joseph's Hospital. Funeral services were conducted on April 18 by Rev. Shimizu. Burial took place on April 19, at Bates
and Meddock.
'*   * * '.... *
MRS. CH1TOSE OYAKAWA COALDALE, Alta. �. Mrs. Chitose Oyakawa, wife of Ki-yoshi Oyakawa passed away on March 24 at the Coaldale Hospital. ...
Furteral services were held at the Christensen.Funeral Home in Lethbridge with Rev. Kabayahia conducting.
MRS. CHIYOKO SHIOZAK1 KELOWNA, B.C. � Mrs. Chi-ypko Shidzaki passed away at the Kelowna   General . Hospital on April 14. -./
KAMETARO UMINO NEW DENVER, B.C. � Mr. Kametaro Umino, 74, died at the New Denver Old Folks Home on April 12. Funeral, services were held on April 15.
CELESTIAL GARDENS
Chop Soey House
91-A EUatbetk SU Toronto
BANQUETS AND FAXTLT DINNKB8
ouch at my slwHiJder. I mu*t har^ fallen .i^fe�>p.  \
ha- I had !e'-
a.
Tt
. i a d- adl're " *eave thir.g
�k Pav. aft
r-r-'et a- i that I s':
U Noom to 4 ajL
ReaerratHms: EM4-9035
Cpen 12 noon to 2 a.m.
HoeSaiGay
I %
famous Chinese foods
69 Albert St �Toronto (at Elizabeth) Telephone WA. S8J7 Special arremion g/ren to take oat gedets.
?0�OM4i�OOM�Ofr.