A Boy Growing Up In Blackville
The Slingshot
In this twenty-fifth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, fifteen year old Pat Fournier learns a lesson in empathy after making a slingshot with his friend Gary Gillespie. THE SLINGSHOT Written by Pat Fournier July 1962 – fifteen years old My friend Gary Gillespie sniffled and rubbed the back…
Read MoreThe Paper Route
When the regular paper boy Terrence Walls leaves Blackville for college, fifteen year old Pat takes over his paper route in the next installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville. THE PAPER ROUTE Written by Pat Fournier Early April 1962 – fifteen years old Terrence Walls had a paper route,…
Read MoreIce Time
On a chilly winter evening in 1962, fourteen year old Pat Fournier walks the two mile trek to Morgan’s Rink for a night of skating that doesn’t quite go as planned. Ice Time is the twenty-third installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville. ICE TIME Written by Pat Fournier February…
Read MoreThe Sensitive Moose
It’s the bitter winter of 1962 and Pat, along with his brother Johnny, friend Alton Underhill, and their father Sylvernus, travel the Bartholomew Road to gather firewood. On their way the boys venture upon a not-so-pleasant moose, the focus of the twenty-second installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville.…
Read MoreJimmy and Jesus
As Father Nowlan retires from serving as parish priest at St. Raphael’s, a visiting priest shares a story of faith that strikes a chord with fourteen year old Pat in Jimmy and Jesus, the twenty-first installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville. JIMMY AND JESUS Written by Pat Fournier…
Read MoreMost Memorable Christmas
It’s Christmastime in 1960 and thirteen year old Pat and the rest of the Fournier family are preparing for the holidays. In the twentieth installment of Pat’s memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, the young boy recalls the cutting and trimming of the tree, the snowy midnight trek to mass and the…
Read More40 Days of Stupidity
It’s the 40 days of Lent and twelve year old Pat has given up candy for the lenten season. Earning money from his neighbour Jim MacKenzie, Pat engineers a plan to buy and save until Easter, as much candy as he can at Jenny Hayes’ store. 40 Days of Stupidity is the nineteenth installment of…
Read MoreThe Godparents’ Visit
In the eighteenth installment of Pat Fournier’s memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, the family receives a visit from Johnny’s godparents, Joan and Alban Boudreau. THE GODPARENTS’ VISIT Written by Pat Fournier July 1959 – twelve years old We had a nice visit one weekend by Joan and Alban Boudreau, who were…
Read MoreA Scary Walk Home
It’s May of 1959, and Pat Fournier is attending a night-time screening of “The War of the Worlds” at Saint Raphael’s church hall. In the seventeenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, twelve year old Pat faces a frightening walk home after watching the scariest movie he’d ever seen.…
Read MoreThe Outhouse
It’s the Spring of 1959 and Pat Fournier’s older brother Johnny has an unfortunate run-in with the family outhouse in the sixteenth installment of Pat’s memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville. THE OUTHOUSE Written by Pat Fournier November 11, 1958 – eleven years old Our little sister Leslie is born. Now there…
Read MoreSummer’s Gong
It’s the summer of 1958 and the residents of the village of Blackville and outlying communities have gathered for the social event of the year: St. Raphael’s annual church picnic. In this fifteenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, Pat Fournier reflects on the day’s events and recalls some…
Read MoreA Special Birthday Present
It’s the Spring of 1958 and eleven year old Pat Fournier received the only gift he really wanted for his birthday, a Sunday Missal. In this fourteenth installment of his memoir, Memories of a Boy Growing Up in Blackville, Pat reflects on St. Raphael’s church and Father Nowlan’s uncomfortable reading of the Sunday collections. A…
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