National Adult Literacy Database

April 24, 2000

This week, we are launching 2 stories from the Selkirk Adult Learning Centre in Selkirk, Manitoba. As a special event you can read their stories as well as hear them.

Clyde Thomas was born in Winnipeg but went to school and played a wide variety of sports in Pine Point in the Northwest Territories. Clyde lived in Selkirk for 18 years and has been a learner at the Selkirk Adult Learning Centre for three years.

Play an audio version of this story

Skates

by Clyde Thomas

When I was younger I had a pair of skates and I made a hockey stick and puck out of a tree and I went down to the river and skated around. Then I thought about going to my cousin's and then I started skating up river. When I came around the corner I fell through the ice up to my waist and then I used the stick to keep me above the ice and I was kicking and pushing to get out of the ice. After that I kept on going. Then I came to the rapids along the church then I came up the hill around the rapids to the other side and I skated all the way to my cousin's place. That was about ten mile's or more, when I was just about there, my brother Kelvin fell through the ice close to the spring. My farther had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out. When I got to the river rink my cousin's told me to go up to the house and warm up. Then I went inside and took off my skates and pants and had some tea and home made bread with jam.