McBride Christmas Fair, 2018

    I have been participating in McBride’s Annual Christmas Fair for probably 35 years.  My wares have changed over that time.  I sold hand-dyed mohair yarn, when we had Angora goats, then for a decade I sold McBride Logo T-shirts.   For a score of years I have been selling my trivia and cartoon calendars, and during the last couple of years, prints and cards of my paintings.  The fair was yesterday, so I was there again, flogging my products.

    I had a successful day, selling 60 calendars, 15 cards, and one print.  I have made enough to pay for the printing of the calendars, so next Saturday at the Valemount Christmas Fair all the calendars I sell will be profit.

    The fair is always an important social event for the community, a chance to visit with friends and acquaintances, as they wander the aisles looking for unique gifts and food.  It is one of the things I really enjoy about being there.

    I had one humorous encounter with an older forestry co-worker yesterday.  When I began working at the BC Forest Service, it was always a treat to hear him tell about the funny things that happened in the years before I got there.  He has always been a really funny guy, and I always enjoy running in to him at events.  I had heard that he was getting pretty forgetful.

    Yesterday when he saw me at my table, he came up to me and cracked a few barbs, which I was happy to respond to.  He said he had better by a calendar from me, and asked how much they were.  I told him $6, and he got out his wallet and pulled out a $5 and handed it to me. 

    I told him I needed another Loonie (Canadian $1 coin).  He reached in his pocket and his hand came up empty.

    “I don’t have one, I gave the last one away at the door.”  he explained.  He started jiving me about the price so, after the sad story, I relented and gave him the calendar for $5 ( I would have given it to him for free, but the interaction, and my shaking my head in mock despair was all part of the fun.)  As he walked away with the calendar, he said to someone, loud enough for me to hear of course, that he had been able to bargain me down on the price, (another part of his joshing around).

    About an hour later, his wife wandered by my table.

    “So, you sold my husband a calendar,” she said.

    “Yes,” I replied, “He stiffed me out of a dollar.”

    She smiled and shook her head.  “His forgetfulness is getting really bad, he bought one of your calendars last week at the Whistlestop Gallery.”  she added.

    So I guess I got the last laugh, he bargained me out of a dollar, but I ended up selling him two calendars, when he only needed one.

You can view my paintings at:  davidmarchant.ca