Flag Envy

 

Nearly all the cottages along our bay proudly fly Canadian flags on their property, the Biggar family included.  I am not sure if there is a correlation, but it seems that every time one cottage gets a new, larger flag, the neighbours have to follow suite. Now, the Biggar family would not engage in this kind of base competition. However, last summer it became apparent that our flag was not only one of the smallest, but the most faded. So, by July 1^st, we had a new flag. It may not have been the biggest, but it sure had the brightest colours, the deepest reds. Much better than our old flag, which was faded and ragged and in no position to proudly represent the greatest county on earth.

 

But then came a new problem. What do we do with the old flag? It didn’t seem right to just throw it in the garbage. God forbid we next see a bear at the dump rummaging around with the Canadian flag in his muzzle. We asked around, but no one seemed to know what to do with an old flag, although there were some imaginative suggestions. We even called the legion. Their response—“good question!”

 

Finally, as with all worthy questions, the answer was found in the internet at a site run by Canadian Heritage called “Flag Etiquette in Canada”. Where we are told:

 

“When a flag becomes tattered and is no longer in a suitable condition for use, it should be destroyed in a dignified way by burning it privately.”

 

And we proceeded accordingly.

 

So, now that we have a bright, new flag, we expect our neighbours to be taking a critical look a their own flags. Lord knows, it won’t be long before they too have nice bright new flags.  Probably bigger and brighter than the one we have … not that it bothers us. And we expect them to be disposing of their flags in a manner following the proper etiquette – unless of course there is a fire ban on.

 

Tracy Biggar