PIED PIPER WITH A BIG HEART
by Ernie Walsh

My brother, Denis, has told me many times that when he was a young boy, Fred Best was like a ‘Pied Piper" to him and many of the Merasheen children of his generation. Wherever Fred was, the children gathered around, listening to his songs and funny stories and when he went for a walk up the road -there were always two or three children clinging out of him. When I was growing up, Fred had returned home having served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and had married Elsie Reid from Tack's Beach. They were living in their large house on Best's Beach. One of the comments we always heard when we were young was that when Fred went overseas they had to give him two parachutes when he jumped from the plane over Europe. Looking back now I think it wasn't true as Fred was in the Royal Navy and probably joined a ship in St. John's or Halifax and went across the Atlantic by -water. He was, however, supposedly the ‘BIGGEST MAN IN THE NAVY’.

Fred was shipmates with ENOS DARBY when they were torpedoed. Enos Darby was seriously injured and spent many months in hospital. After the war, he went on to be a major in the Salvation Army and spent his life helping others especially the Veterans. Uncle Amelius Best also had two brothers, Edgar Best and Ronald Best, who served in World War II. Both married Scottish girls and stayed in Scotland. Freddie followed his Uncle Fred's footsteps and joined the Canadian Navy September 1961. Freddie was accidentally killed in a car accident in Halifax, June 28, 1974 at age 31 years.

I remember after their daughter Anita was born, Fred came across the harbour one day with a bundle of nicely crafted white painted sticks he had taken off an old stairs for my brother Ron to make a play-pen for Anita. It turned out just lovely.

One morning Elsie needed yeast to put bread in rise and Fred walked over to the Co-Op Store to buy it. After he had made his purchase, he decided to proceed over to Uncle Jack Hann's wharf as there was a bit of fish and people gathered around. The weighing machine was always on the wharf and someone asked Fred to step on. As he did, I saw the needle gauge stop on 305 pounds. Fred was enjoying his conversation with the people around when he felt in his pocket the five envelopes of yeast. He knew Elsie was awaiting the yeast to put the bread in rise, so he put them in my direction and asked if I would run the yeast over to Elsie. I took the parcel of yeast and started to walk back around the harbour towards the Best's side.

As I walked, I thought about the mission I was on. I knew on all previous occasions I had visited Elsie at home, my buddy Freddy had been with me. I became shy and sheepish about my task, and my walking got slower and slower. By the time I got to Aunt Stella Best's old house, I could look out around the rocks and across the gravel beach where the fish would be spread to dry and I could see Fred and EIsie's house away off in the distance. I couldn't get the courage to cross the beach and deliver the yeast to Elsie by myself. Pondering what to do, I sat down on the grass behind Aunt Stella's house and began digging a hole in the ground with a sharp rock. I untied the parcel twine around the brown paper, took the five envelopes of yeast and tore off the corners and planted all the seeds in the hole I had dug. I then filled up the hole, levelled the ground and went home.

Later on in the afternoon, Fred decided to go home and, of course, when he entered the kitchen, Elsie said ‘You sure took your time. Where's the yeast?‘ Fred was surprised and replied, ‘I gave the yeast to Ernie Walsh to bring over to you about three hours ago. Didn't you get it?“ Fred then left and came over to our house and spoke to my mother. She called me in and asked what happened to the yeast. I didn't say too much and only indicated where the yeast was. Mom and Fred followed me and I uncovered the hole in the ground with the yeast in it. I don't remember too much of what Mom said to me, but I know Fred got a great laugh out of it all and had another funny story to tell, which made things a little easier for me. I never did hear how Fred fared with Elsie for sending a boy to finish his task causing her to wait another day to put bread in rise.