TRANSCRIPT

HH - Harry Harper, interviewee / LR - Lyn Royce, interviewer

LR: ...as a kid.

HH: Well, I grew up right across the street here [North Street, St Catharines] until about 12, 12 or 14, then we moved to King Street. And now let me think to tell... See, when we were growin' up, there was all nationalities around here. So we fought, called names and, an hour and a half later was walkin' up and down the street arm in arm. [soft chuckles from group] So the parents they just looked and shook their heads, didn't know what to say. They expected that. We'd come crying, 'So and so called me this and called me that.' 'Well, you better go on out 'n see if y' can get friends again.' So they got used to all this foolishness. And uh, so that's the way you grew up. In fact, um, Joe McCaffery, um, our past, one of our past mayors?

LR: Mhmm...

HH: I grew up with him, so he used to be down here at the church [Salem Chapel] all the time. Later on, you know, and every time he told a story about this uh, drain pipe out here, where they shut the water off and on? He would take the lid off and drop stones down in there [laughing]. And so when, so when, when the water was leakin' in here they, they were sayin' that, uh, we'd have to pay for it in the church. And I said, 'No!' I said, 'The shut-off valve is on the other side the sidewalk.' 'No it isn't.' I said, 'It's on the other side of the sidewalk. Go and check.' So they had to check and found 'You're right.' So they changed everything and didn't cost us nothin'. Now, I'm glad they didn't ask me how I knew! [group laughs]

LR: I was gonna say!

HH: And then Joe, he uh, uh, when, when one time he give, he was here givin' a speech, we had somethin' goin' on, I don't know what it was. And uh, I was takin' up collection then, so I'm in the middle, taking it out, handing the collection plate here, this side, and at the end, he'd hand it to the next row. So he was sitting at the end of this row. So he brought the plate around and the 2 of us went up. It was blessed and we passed the plate over. So after he got up to give his speech, he said, 'You notice Harry and I takin' up the collection.' He said, 'There was a time the church wouldn't let us near the money!' [laughs with group] So we always had a real joke about that. So... We had a good time; like I say, uh, there was prejudice here, but you sort of, uh... got used to knowin' where it come from and uh, you either ignored it, or you had to fight. So I'd say with me, it was 50/50, because, uh, I mean, I would take, uh, so much and then I would just... I got used to puttin' that finger out. Tippin' I'd hold it, and then you cross that line, you're in trouble. But if you didn't, you were alright. So it didn't make no difference who it was, whether it was my wife or boss or anything. If the boss start cussin' me out, swearin' at me [looks behind himself] He said, 'What you lookin for?' 'I'm lookin' to see who the hell you're talkin' to.' 'I'm talkin' to you!' I said, 'No you're not; not in that tone of voice.' I said, 'If you were 10 years younger, I'd knock you flat on your ass. Now what do you want.' So there's a big difference; it got straightened out.