Sunny Toes

Tuesday, October 16, 2001 Barmaids are a special group of people that are akin to Goddesses. They work long hours for poor pay and depend on tips to keep a roof over their head and shoes on their feet. They are forced to listen to the troubles and joys of their customers, must know all sports scores and be "hit on" by countless married men and assorted other imbeciles. If someone sneaks out without paying their Tab, 'the House' simply makes them pay the loss out of their wages. The House never loses.

Two of theses Goddesses told me a story about how they won once won big time too. These Barroom Goddesses worked at the Black Swan in Calgary and were putting themselves through University. One was a local girl, one an "ex" from a military wedding in Quebec. They had become Work-mates, Schoolmates and Roommates. Pretty, energetic and fun girls. It seems that an older gentleman drifted into the Black Swan from time to time and the girls got to know this chap. He often wore weird clothes or carried unusual walking sticks that set him aside from the local yokels. Off and on, over a period of a year, the gals learned that he traveled to far places on Canadian humanitarian projects.

On a hot July day after Stampede, Calgary is pretty dull. The Bars are getting back to normal. Families have gone off camping. Even the flies seem to be on R & R. In comes the "Traveler", as the girls have named him. A beer is poured and the questions slide back and forth. Who's the latest fellow? How's school? Jumping from French to English, here to there, hither and yon between serving other customers. Soon comes a lull with no other patrons to serve and the girls place themselves, one on the Tarbender's side of the Bar and one on a stool next to the Traveler. They earnestly tell the traveler that they want to help a child somewhere in the world with some of their tip money. The Traveler tells them of the scams and heartbreak associated with many of these "Rent A Kid-Salve Your Conscience" programs. The girls were not to be gain said, so the Traveler told them that he would find a young girl in Cambodia for them to mentor on his next pass through this land-mine strewn and devastated country. The Traveler was not too sure that two young Canadian University students working in a bar in Calgary had the spare funds or stick-to-it-ive-ness to help a kid 5000 miles away in some town or village in the jungles of SE Asia. But a faint heart never kissed a pig, so he decided to give it a shot.

The capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh and the Traveler and his buddies supported Mine Action groups, Woman's Hospital in Mae Sot, Prosthesis hospitals, schools and even Street Orphan training classes for these modern day Artful Dodgers. During the Travelers supper at his hotel a young female worker/cleaner approached and ask to practice her English on him. She was such a delightful little thing he became her sounding board. She was far above the "See Dick Run, Run Dick Run" level in conversation, but was quite weak in the written English. The second language of Cambodia was French, but the Vietnam War has caused the government to declare English as its second language. This little scholar was named Sang Santrop by her parents, but standing in her bare feet with a smile that would light the world she became "Sunny Toes " to the Traveler. Sunny for her smile and attitude, "Toes" because they never wear shoes inside a building and hence their little feet are splayed like Ping-Pong paddles. They look great in flip-flops, but in western shoes "Olive Oyle's feet in the Popeye cartoon you have." For several days, the meal time lessons continued. Sunny Toes went to school during the day. After classes she had an hour off, then came to the restaurant, cleaned up and set up for supper. During tropical supper, 6 to 11 p.m. she bused the dishes and tables between racing to the Traveler's table to receive and speak English. About 1 a.m., her duties finished, she slept under the Bar till the breakfast crew arrived, which is when she set up for the continental breakfast 5 to 8 am. She went home at 5:30 a.m., after breakfast set up, and managed to sleep for an hour or so before school.

The Traveler was ex-military and had contacts with the Canadian contingent of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC). Stationed there was a Canadian female Engineer (called Sappers) Officer. The Canadian Ambassador Longmuire (ex RCN. now living in BC) approached "Capt. Dorothy" to manage the money so that it was used only for education or medical/dental work. Sang Santrop a.k.a. Sunny Toes had just been adopted. No one knew yet except Capt. Dorothy and the Traveler but "The Sappers" were about to build a bridge of care between the two Goddesses in the Black Swan in Canada and 14 year old Sunny Toes in Cambodia!

The Bar Goddesses agreed to adopt Sunny Toes as a little sister and provide $100.00 USF per year to pay for schooling ONLY. They agreed NOT to send any money directly to Sang, and to exchange only simple gifts for birthday's etc. Sang could not afford to reciprocate and would lose face. Most importantly, they agreed never in anyway to encourage Sang to immigrate to Canada. Cambodia needs every educated woman it can get. Sang's part was to produce a school report every three months.

Capt. Dorothy opened an account. The Traveler's chum Griff got the Goddesses money into Cambodia. Capt. Dorothy eventually rotated home. Griff would "tinker" the system together for the four years it took to complete Sang's education. Sang is now educated and married and works at the great tourist attraction, Angor Wat. If you visit there, and your guide speaks English with a Canadian accent, and if the sky lights up when she smiles...you will have met Sunny Toes! The Goddesses never failed to somehow scrape the money for their sister's education out of their tips. They completed their degrees and are now productive members of our great land. Griff is still out in the Boonies from time to time. He did all the work and he doesn't even drink! God only knows where the Traveler is. His name in Asia is "Earth Shaker."

You know, I do believe after hearing this story that Everybody Won, including the House! This time there were no losers or winners, just decent people that saw others, no matter how wide their feet, and could give us a Sunny smile as brothers and sisters.

Jack C. Downey CD
Send comments to: Jack

---

Get Involved!
Your Ideas are Important!
Content is contributed by various Canadians and does not necessarily reflect the views of canadianculture.com.