CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: W%Jflng/J

11 September of 1985, Kevin Charles, the oldest son of Shawn and

Yvette Murphy, and Kathleen’s first grandchild, started grade one

at Spring Park School. At the time, Shawn and Yvette lived on Inkerman Drive, and Kathleen’s home on Riverview Drive was on Kevin Charles’ way to and from school. A day or two into the school year, on his way home for lunch, he dropped into his grandmother’s home. He told Kathleen he felt a drop of rain, and she invited him to stay with her for lunch. After calling Yvette, Kathleen fixed lunch for the two of them and they chatted about the first grader’s new experiences at school. The following day, he dropped in again, saying the sun was in his eyes. A trend was definitely developing.

On the second or third of these impromptu lunchtime visits, Kevin Charles called his mother (who had just spent the previous 30 minutes preparing lunch) to say he would not be coming home that noon hour. Overhearing the conversation, Kathleen could see that the whole situation was taking on a slightly tenser tone.

She suggested a compromise. Kevin Charles would go home for lunch but every Wednesday he could have lunch with his grandmother. His younger brother Paul and Danny’s daughter Karen, who were attending play school at the nearby Spring Park United Church, soon joined in on the Wednesday lunch. For the neXt 25 years, as more grandchildren came along, they would be invited for Wednesday lunches as well. A family tradition was started.

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