Albie Albertson, affectionately known as the Mayor of Pudding Hill, has lived 100 years out East. His remarkable life reads like a history of his beloved Nova Scotia. He’s fished and lobstered, crewed aboard the iconic Bluenose, rescued miners in Springhill, weathered Hurricane Ginny, spotted the Shag Harbor UFO and comforted family members of Swissair 111. If that’s not enough, his “girlfriend” claims to be a survivor of the Titanic! He is a living history of Nova Scotia in the 20th century, and his story must be read to be believed!
Here’s an excerpt:
Caleb did the math as his mind raced. If he’s one hundred today, he would have been a toddler when the Titanic sank in 1912. It could be possible. But to be on the Titanic when it sank and then to be on the Bluenose when it went down, well, that would be an unbelievable coincidence.
He was pretty sure the Bluenose sank in the 1940s. The old man certainly could have been there when the pride of Canada broke up in the Caribbean.
He moved closer, trying to overhear more of what was being said.
The Mayor asked a young couple about the mines in Springhill, after all these years. They said the mines were still closed, but they rumbled as always. The woman hugged him and assured him he was still remembered.
At least a dozen firefighters in uniform circled around the old man’s wheelchair while one of their wives snapped a picture. They left him with a new cap embroidered with “Honorary Chief” on the front.
A geeky looking man in his twenties posed for a selfie with the Mayor and said something about the Shag Harbour UFO incident. The Mayor gave a knowing nod, and the young man walked away, beaming.
Two women embraced the Mayor, one from each side, as one of them gushed, “All your friends in Peggy’s Cove wish you the best. They still talk about all you did in ’98. God Bless You, Mr. Mayor.”
A while later, four men in Canadian War Veterans caps saluted the Mayor, then stepped forward to shake his hand. Caleb was sure he heard them say something about coming back to Gander, Newfoundland, next year for the tenth anniversary reunion.
Caleb was so intent on listening that he didn’t notice when Sarah returned and sidled up next to him.
