Ask not... it tolls for Scott

The last time I saw Scott Clark, he had just finished monkey climbing a tree next door at Ron Smith's place... he attached a rope near the top of this not yet old enough, but dead Black Spruce that had been attacked by the Asian Long Horned Beetle... he shinnied back down and cut a perfect wedge, and then the final cut, felled the tree... from his perch on the tree, he could have looked at his home, like in this picture, across the harbour... Heather Crout, his wife would have been in her studio there, painting another beautiful water color... wondering whether Scott is OK... he was, just like all the other times he would be doing favours for neighbors, or working on a roof, shingling in the heat of the day... another dangerous occupation... or off fishing on a herring or lobster boat.

Yesterday, Scott was to come home from several days fishing. The herring are running off Halifax and there are so many boats out there at night that a friend who lives on Martinique Beach says it looks like a small city out there at night. Scott was out there in that small city, it was Saturday night, into Sunday morning... he was working, when he could have been partying... in fact, he wasn't at the bowling league on Friday night... the sign on the door could have been "gone fishing"... commercial fishing!!

Scott loved fishing... he had told Ron Smith that he was giving up roofing to go full time to the boats... fishing. Occasionally, Scott and/or Heather would come and visit Ron and Bev... and we might catch a bit of time as well. Scott would talk about many things... his heritage from Newfoundland; how he could eat a lobster in a matter of seconds; he did a lot of handyman things, and lots of favours for anyone who needed them. He had stories, many... and he could laugh, and make most others do the same... Friday nights at the bowling alley he was at his best... cajolling, but rolling for great scores himself... making certain everyone was having as good a time as he was... it was like he was put on the earth to make us all happy.

Scott had another passion... his astronomy! We were visiting Heather and Scott last week, and on the drive way with some other goodies in their garage sale was a huge telescope. He had others, and loved talking about the sights he could see... fishing at night would give him geat views from the open sea, he said.

He also loved his grand kids, and his family back on the Rock. He was planning to give his Mom one of his kidneys... she is on dialysis these days and could use the donation. Love was in his heart for this and more.

Scott worked hard, and he loved his life with his wife Heather. Heather is one of the really fine people of the shore. You could find her by times, waiting on tourists having lunch at the Tin Cup, working in the artist's co-op in Halifax, or in her great little gallery here in the Oyster Pond... Heather is one of the really great painters here in Nova Scotia... in fact, three of my neighbors are taking art classes from her this fall... Water Color... Heather also loves Scott...

Sunday morning, early, our door bell rang... it was Guy Le Blanc... our neighbor... he is retired from the Canadian Navy, and is a Fireman, and early responder here on the shore. When Guy comes a knocking, sometimes it is bad news... Sunday morning it was to tell us that Scott didn't come home... in fact, he was missing... a herring net had caught his boot and yanked him over-board... into the very cold North Atlantic... fourteen vessels and a helecopter were looking for him... there was little hope, from the beginning...

Scott will be really missed here on the Eastern Shore... the folks on Friday nights will have a permenant 7 - 10 split to fill... and we will need to help Heather deal with her loss...

I have a feeling that Scott is in this picture that I took last night... his spirit will always be on this water. I think it is likely he will have a party waiting for us when we get to our sunsets...