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 "Sam Goes Green". I have supplied a related webpage link. Answer the questions below to find out the coordinates to the final cache. Enjoy!
A. What does Dennis not have a lot of when spotting a deal?
A) Will power (6)
B) Restraint (5)
C) Confidence (7)
D) Bravery (4)
B. How long were Dave and Morley working on Sam's room?
A) Three weeks (6)
B) One week (3)
C) Five weeks (9)
D) Two weeks (5)
C. What bed sheets did Sam pick out?
A) Flannel ninja turtle sheets (4)
B) Shrek sheets (3)
C) Blue sheets (8)
D) Tie-die sheets (9)
D. How long did Sam, Peter, and Murphy play video games?
A) Two hours (8)
B) Six hours (9)
C) Eight hours (7)
D) Ten hours (6)
E. What was on Sam's shirt sleeve?
A) A bright green smear (9)
B) A spider (7)
C) Ten dollars (6)
D) Snot (8)
F. What did Sam say to Murphy when Murphy came over after school?
A) "I think I have come down with something." (2)
B) "Want to play more video games?" (8)
C) "I think I have an alien." (9)
D) "I stole a bike." (5)
G. What happens when you eat green stuff?
A) Make you healthier (2)
B) Make you an alien (7)
C) Make you sick (6)
D) Make you green (8)
H. Who called Sam?
A) Morley (5)
B) Dave (4)
C) Doctor Kean (9)
D) Stephanie (2)
N 49 1A.BCD W 122 5E.FGH
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.