It was now July 5, 2020. It was a gloomy, dark, rainy Sunday afternoon.
Bill sat on the small stage of the community center, with the other members of the village council. In front of them were every single resident of Tuckamore Bay. At least, every single living resident.
Bill had been in the Bay for just over a month and despite nearly leaving a few times, he finally felt that he was settled. Having found out that he was indeed a direct descendent of Silas Williams, who was one of the founders of Tuckamore Bay, he had a new determination to say the Bay.
Eighteen months from now, the government was planning to shut down the village and move all of the residents from the Bay to larger centres. Of course, since they could not do it in winter, the government was hoping to move the residents before the snows came, as the cost of keeping the road open was expensive at the best of times. That fact, realistically, gave the residents just over a year to come up with a solution.
Only a select few knew that Bill had finally, legally, signed the documents that legally gave him title to Tuckamore Bay. And that was the reason for the village meeting. To make the residents aware of the situation and to discuss plans for the future.
Bill had done a lot of soul searching, especially in the last two weeks. The thought of a condo in Jamaica still appealed to him, but he had grown very fond of Tuckamore Bay and its residents. One, in particular, Bill had grown extremely fond of and she was the biggest catalyst in his decision to do what he was about to do today.
Bill looked at Matty, sitting next to him and let out a long sigh.
"You ready for this?" She asked.
Bill shook his head, laughing.
"I don't know, but I guess we have come this far."
He looked at Henry Tucker.
"Okay, Mayor, let's get this thing going."
Henry Tucker smacked his gavel on the desk in front of him.
"Can youse all pipes down fer a minute."
He smacked it a couple more times, standing as he did.
"Will everyone please be pipin' down."
The people slowly quietened down.
"Dats be better."
"'enry, whats bes so important dat youse 'ad to drags us all out 'ere in dis shitty weather?"
Henry looked at the man in the front row.
"Norm, ifin youse keeps yer mouth shut fer a few minutes, Ise be tellin'' youse."
He looked out over the crowd.
"Now, alls of youse please be keepin' yer comments to yerself for a while and lets us up 'ere be talkin'"
Clayton Rideout laughed.
"Den stop yer yammerin' and start talkin'."
"Ise plans to do dat, Clayt, me son, ifin youse stop interupptin' me."
Henry took a mouthful of beer and looked at me.
"Youse sure be dis, Billy Boy?"
Bill nodded.
"Okay, me son."
Henry looked back out at the crowd gathered.
"As youse all knows, by da end of next year the government wants to be shuttin' down da Bay. Dey wants to be movin' all youse out of 'ere and to places likes St. Anthony, Deer Lake and Corner Brook."
"is dat whys youse brought us 'ere 'enry. To be tellin' us shit wes already knows?"
The woman next to the man who spoke, elbowed him in the side.
"Don't be cussin' 'ere at da meetin', Wilson, youse dumb shit."
"Sorry, Jen, me love."
"As I was sayin'," Henry continued, " even tho Matty 'as done 'er best to git da government to change der minds, dey be stayin' tight to what dey wants to do."
"Matty was always a wonderful girl," Jenny Pike spoke up.
"Dem government peoples bes a bunch of shit-'eads fer sure."
Wilson turned to his wife.
"Now whose be cussin', old lady?"
Jenny turned to her husband.
"Whose youse be callin' old, dick-head? Youse bes a lot older than Ise bes, fer fuck sakes."
Henry smacked his gavel again.
"Jenny and Wilson. Fer once can da two of youse stop yer yammerin' at each other."
Wilson & Jenny Pike
"Yes, Jinny Pike," another woman barked.
"Youse and dat man of yours jest pipe down fer once and listen, 'stead 'avin' yer mouth goin' a hundred miles an hour."
Jenny jumped to her feet.
"Youse bes a fine one to talk, Elsie Simpson. Youse gots a mouth like a seagull, always squawkin' 'bout somethin'. Squawk, squawk, squawk."
"Well, least my Johnny don't be making' a fool of 'imself in public," Elsie snotted back at her.
"Least 'e sits 'ere likes a gentleman."
"Dats 'cause youse never shuts up long enuf so 'e can talk," Jenny barked back at Elsie, laughing.
Elsie & John Simpson
Elsie glared at an older woman a few seats from her.
"Did youse 'ear dat? Ise told youse years ago, when she was born dat house shud 'ave thrown 'er over da cliff, into da ocean."
The older woman got up. She looked at Elsie and then at Jenny.
"Da two of youse jest be sittin' da fuck down and shuttin' da fuck up, 'fore Ise throws da two of youse over da cliff."
The two hesitated, glaring at each other.
"NOW," the old woman yelled.
The two women sat down, huffing and puffing.
Elsie slapped her husband John in the shoulder.
"Big 'help youse were."
The man just shrugged his shoulders and sat back quietly in his chair.
The old woman looked back ay Henry.
"Youse can go back to ta talkin' now 'enry."
She turned around glaring at all the people gathered.
"Ise don't tink me two daughters or anyone else bes interruptin' youse agin."
The older woman sat down again.
Linda Tucker
"Thank youse, Linda."
Henry looked back at his papers on the table in front of him.
"Ise don't even remembers where's Ise was."
"You were talking about Matty," Bill reminded him.
"Thanks Billy Boy, me son."
Henry cleared his throat.
"Like Ise was sayin', Matty Dove 'as done all she can to 'help us 'ere in da Bay. She 'as made trips to St. John's to try and convince dem politicians to 'help us out, but dey all refused. Lately she went dere again tryin' to get us our fish back."
"And 'ow did dat goes," Clayton Rideout snapped.
"Better than you might think, Clayton," Matty snapped back.
"Now. like Linda said before. Just shut the fuck up and let us up here have our say."
Henry shook his head, looking at Bill.
"Youse sure youse wants to be puttin' up with dis shit, Billy Boy?"
"Let's keep going Mayor."
"Youse bes a brave man dere, mainlander," Joyce Dove quipped.
Bill smiled.
"Not a mainlander, Joyce."
Henry looked back at his notes.
"Like Ise were sayin', Matty's done all she can and now tings bes in our own 'ands.
Knowing full well dat da government bes crooked as a snake, wese all made a decision dat wese wud let Matty try and find someone to buys da Bay and ..."
Henry turned to Bill, smiling.
"Sorry 'bout dis, Bill."
"About what?"
Henry laughed and turned his attention back to those gathered.
"Wese tried to sell da Bay so wes could find some sucker who were rich enuf and 'opefully dumb enuf to invest money in da Bay and 'elp us save it."
Bill turned to Matty.
"I guess youse found yer sucker," he laughed.
She put her finger to her lips.
"Did youse jest shush me?"
Matty smiled and held Bill's hand, under the table.
Henry continued.
"Well, as 'ard as Matty tried, and she came close a couple time. But she always jest missed it.
Henry turned to Bill.
"Until now."
He put his hand on Bill's shoulder.
"Matty found 'er sucker and da Bay jest maybe found its saviour."
A murmur swept through the crowd nd many of them suddenly sat up straight in their chairs, full attention on the stage.
Henry looked back out over the crowd, a huge smile on his face.
"Youse all knows Billy Boy 'ere. He were a mainlander dat comed 'ere and bought da old light'ouse dere"
Henry looked back at Bill.
"Well, a couple day ago, dis young man, one of ours, signed da papers dat makes ' da proud owner of Tuckamore Bay."
Henry held up the paper for all to see.
"Dese papers says dat Matty found 'er sucker," Henry joked.
Henry turned back to Bill.
"And believe it or not, 'es still be 'ere."
He slapped Bill's shoulder.
"Thanks you, me son."
Henry turned back to the people gathered.
"Now I wants youse all to welcome Tuckamore Bay's newest resident, newest member of our family and now, owner of da Bay ...
Billy Willams."
As Bill stood up, the entire town joined him in standing, applauded and cheered very loudly for him.
Bill took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his eyes.