Cousin Agam Fhein

by Janet Stubbert

Edna Stubbert’s husband Vern Jordan enjoyed his summer vacation trips to Cape Breton. There are two events that happened to Vernon in Cape Breton that come to mind when I think of him..

Vern always looked forward to staying at Aunt Julia’s (LeBlanc) in Margaree. The room he stayed in had a tin roof and Vern really enjoyed hearing the rain dance on it. One year Aunt Julia had renovations done on the house and guess what? She had that tin roof replaced. Vern never really got over that. He constantly talked about it.

The other event brings tears to my eyes even today after all these years.

Standing on the front stoop of Uncle Rory’s (Rankin) home at the Banks, Vern looked across the field to where his new car sat. It was the first new car he had purchased in years and he was planning to wash the ocean spray off it but hadn’t had a chance to do it yet.

A crunching noise brought fear into Vernon’s eyes. There next to his car stood an old grey mare chewing on the fender of the beautiful car. In a panic Vernon chased after the horse but alas it was too late. There for all to see were large teeth marks in the bare metal left clean of paint by the teeth of the old grey mare.

“How am I going to explain this to the insurance company? They won’t believe a horse chewed my car!� Vernon swore.

Uncle Rory stood quietly in the bright sunlight a broad smile covering his strong face.

No, he thought, they won’t. Who in their right mind would?

• Vern Jordan: husband of Edna Stubbert
• Edna: daughter of Jack Stubbert and Mary Rankin; Mary was the sister of Annie Belle Rankin, wife of Jack D Macdonald
• Aunt Julia: Julia Stubbert, sister of Jack Stubbert
• Uncle Rory: Rory Rankin, brother of Mary Rankin and Annie Belle Rankin