Keeping the Peace
By Tom Lessard
A lot of life spilled through the doors of the Dufferin, most pleasurable, but some not so.
I remember one time early in July of 1970 or 1971, Gig, Des and I planned what we thought was a funny prank. The 12th was coming soon (Editor’s note: July 12, 1690, Protestant King William III – on his white horse, as the legend goes – and his armies defeat the Catholic Jacobites at the Battle of the Boyne), and knowing there were a couple of Irish Catholics who enjoyed a drink or two in the pub, we dreamed up a surprise. My job was to rent a white horse from a farmer down the road. Gig was to play King Billy and Des was to play a drum.
Fortunately the two Irish gentlemen were in the pub when the day arrived. When we brought that horse inside the front door and out the back, all hell broke loose! These gents came running out and started pelting the three of us with stones from the parking lot. Little did we know that the man who owned the horse was visiting the garage across the street. The farmer hollered at us, “Get that horse back to the barn and don’t ever rent another from me again!” The two gentlemen were gone when I got back from taking the horse home.
King Billy and his entourage not only got stoned by the poor Catholic boys, but we helped to empty one of the bar’s kegs. We were happy go lucky RCR soldiers, so we enjoyed the day and started planning future pranks.
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