Literary / Arts
Oak Bay Village Goes to the Dogs (with Small Sculpture of a Beagle)
David Jure, Oak Bay
Volume 32 Issue 4, 5 & 6 | Posted: June 11, 2018
The whole thing was very Monty Pytheonesque, taking place in my childhood haunt, The # 6 Prisoner village where I am # 6 and the Penny Farthing pub sign image is that of the actor Patrick McGoohan’s iconic secret agent series from the 1960s.
I was just taking out my video camera to film the amazing sculpture of one gleaming brass ring encircling a magnificent raven – sculptor unknown when I noticed it had been replaced by a small sculpture of a beagle hound. Oak Bay village goes to the dogs.
I cried out loud in protest just as a matron being lead by a beagle on a leash walked by me to say ‘that’s a bit strong language, we are all dog lovers here’.
The whole thing was very Monty Pytheonesque, taking place in my childhood haunt, The # 6 Prisoner village where I am # 6 and the Penny Farthing pub sign image is that of the actor Patrick McGoohan’s iconic secret agent series from the 1960s.
I was just taking out my video camera to film the amazing sculpture of one gleaming brass ring encircling a magnificent raven – sculptor unknown when I noticed it had been replaced by a small sculpture of a beagle hound. Oak Bay village goes to the dogs.
I cried out loud in protest just as a matron being lead by a beagle on a leash walked by me to say ‘that’s a bit strong language, we are all dog lovers here’.
Being a cat person, I found the whole thing truly hilarious but in the mainstay the beloved village of old is becoming a bit uptight and humourless, invaded by glabrous nobs in shorts, with cellphones.
I have loved Oak Bay village with all my art and stroll, recalling when as a naive teenager I got picked up by a Rolls Royce limousine and driven into town.
The Oak Bay Theatre, made over into a Starbucks now, attracts a different kind of crowd.
A Real Estate firm now rests where the Golden Galleon Cafe was situated, which sold magazines, comic books and huge yellow submarine like french fries in brown paper for fifteen cents with salt and vinegar.
My aged mouth waters at the very thought.
Across the street was the Magnet Novelty store run by the big, humorous, but no nonsense, Chinese lady, Sue who warned in no uncertain terms about stealing.
Yes indeed in my memory the village has gone to the dogs.
David Jure, Oak Bay