June’s Broom

Mention June Callwood, and my response is veritably Pavlovian.

I attended the April 7th Toronto Dollar Party wearing two hats - though neither as glorious as the ‘garden-of-plenty’ bonnet sported by Laura Cooper (?) at the Women of Power Table!

As a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, I was participating in the “Find the Author” game organized by Joy Kogawa. As “Holy Grail Seeker”, I wanted June Callwood’s broom!

June’s broom, along with those from other prominent Canadian women, was up for grabs and I was determined not to leave the Market that night without it.

I had the extremely good fortune of meeting June in 1996 via the (then) North York Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence Program. Her fountain of unfailing support, guidance, mentorship, friendship and zest for living has been an ever so precious constant in my life over the years.

And so, my book duly delivered to the Writer’s Corner at 6:45, I then headed directly over to the “Women of Power” table where the aforementioned bonneted woman very gaily (and patiently!) explained the "rules" of the raffle as she counted out each and every one of my 12 blue ballets for the 8:15 draw.

While chatting with Toronto Public Library colleagues (another hat, but alas, I digress) Linda Goldman and Maritza Pillajo at the St. Lawrence Library booth, I became more than marginally alarmed when Olivia Chow began the live auction for some of the brooms at 7:15. I panicked; suddenly confused and not knowing if I should be vying for June's broom by joining in the bidding frenzy too.

I raced back to the “Women of Power” table and was cheerfully reassured by my bonneted friend that because I had expressed my fixation with June’s sweeping talisman, it was one of the power brooms being held back for the later draw. Whew!

However, that near miss was enough to keep me hovering near the site of the raffle for the next hour, anxiously inching closer when Ben Chin arrived to begin ceremoniously drawing name by name for the remaining coveted 18 brooms. Now, 12 chances to win 1 of 18 brooms may sound like pretty good odds, but as broom #13 was grabbed up, I could feel my poor little heart sinking…

But as the saying goes, ‘it ain’t over til it’s over’ and I veritably shrieked when moments later, I heard Ben read my name aloud.

June Callwood's signed broom now hangs symbolically on the wall above my computer, alongside the framed version of her prescription for 'sweeping clean'...

Not surprisingly, June’s choice is a very practical, sturdy, 6-string corn broom that I will dutifully use as she requested:

"Please use this broom to sweep away the evils Gandhi described as 'untruth, injustice and humbug.' When that is done, sweep in kindness, beauty and decency. Don't give up trying."

If that is not trademark June Callwood, champion of infinite humanitarian causes, I don’t know what is…

As an added bonus, my new “June Broom” works in another powerful way:

Leaving the Market that night, Holy Grail proudly in hand, I dashed full speed (like an eager Molly Maid) along Front Street to Union Station, nevertheless missing the westbound GO train by the proverbial 1 minute. Hence, I had to ride my new “June Broom” home, deep into the wilds of south-west Etobicoke.

Suffice it to say, I will never look at a broom the same again!

Nancy Graham