Description

Stella Pickering Bates scans theroom, looking for the face of thelittle boy that she has held in herheart for the past 65 years. Studyingthe 100 people who have come toGovernment House to celebrate the61st anniversary of British Evacueesto Prince Edward Island, she lookspast the thinning and graying hairfor some familiar hint of a sharedyouth on their wrinkled faces.Bates has come all the way fromRuslip, outside London, England tomeet with Malcolm Joyce and herother childhood friends, long sinceout of touch. She and Joyce - also achild evacuee from Wimbley, England- were schoolmates. "He's the onlyone that I saw all the way throughWest Kent. We went to class everydaytogether/7 she says with a smile.After another sweep of the room,she's back to talk again. She's finallyfound him.