It is a tremendous gift for one to create moving, beautiful short stories. It takes a great amount of talent to bring someone from laughter, to tears, all within a tapestry of finely woven words.
Canadian writer, and story teller, Stuart McLean had this gift. Canada lost Mr. McLean in 2017, but his short stories live on.
In 1994, Stuart McLean launched "The Vinyl Cafe", a radio/live audience series of short stories featuring a variety of characters, but mainly focusing on; Dave, his wife Morley, and their two kids, Sam, and Stephanie. These characters are fictitious, but we truly get a sense that they are real. Real in a sense that we can relate, laugh, and through McLean's writing, clearly see the quirks that they encounter as they navigate through life.
Stuart McLean captured human decency so confidently in his short stories, they weren't all sunshine and rainbows, but Stuart always seemed to find a way to get to a poignant conclusion. My mother and I would often sit in our car, long after arriving at our destination, just to listen to the end of one of his epically simple, yet sincere endings to "The Vinyl Cafe."
This mystery cache pays tribute to a man who shot Canada with such a warm literary lens. Who saw the generosity, kindness, and uniqueness of this nation.
Your task is rather simple. Listen to his story called "Toilet Training the Cat". I have supplied a related webpage link. Answer the questions below to find out the coordinates to the final cache. Enjoy!
A. What does Gallway look like?
A) Orange and chubby (6)
B) Calico (5)
C) Lean and beige (7)
D) Black and fluffy (8)
B. What did the vet suggest to deal with Gallway's over-grooming?
A) Diaper (2)
B) Sleeper (6)
C) Cone (0)
D) Pills (1)
C. When did Dave begin the litterbox assent to the toilet bowl?
A) April (2)
B) May 1st (1)
C) January 12th (5)
D) December 3rd (9)
D. What was Dave going to do after toilet training Gallway?
A) Write a book (2)
B) Go on a speaking tour (3)
C) Finally take a breather (4)
D) Toilet train Arthur (7)
E. What did Sam think he saw climbing out of the toilet?
A) Gallway (3)
B) A raccon (2)
C) A furry snake (1)
D) A sewer rat (0)
F. What was one thing that was tossed into the toilet?
A) A tooth brush (2)
B) Toilet paper (1)
C) Nail polish (8)
D) Cups (7)
G. Where did Brenda win her ticket to Toronto?
A) Halifax (2)
B) Elks Meat Raffle (1)
C) Elks Meat Lottery (0)
D) Chase the Ace (9)
H. What was Gallway doing after Brenda jumped out the window?
A) Flicking her tail at the moon (5)
B) Licking her paws (4)
C) Flushing the toilet (9)
D) Knocking stuff over (8)
N 49 1A.BCD W 122 5E.FGH
I hope you enjoyed the story!
Please be mindful of mountain bikers on this trail. It doesn't experience as much traffic than other trails, but keep an eye out. Bring your own pen!
While this is not part of the puzzle, why not listen to a beautiful tribute song written by Buddy MacDonald. Rachel Davis is on the fiddle, and Buddy on the guitar. It's from an interview at Cape Breton University. Watch the whole interview, or jump ahead to the tribute song at 10:30. Click here.