Aubrey Junior Clyke

January 16, 2017 In Leslieville Lives

Leslieville Lives; Stories from the ‘Ville – Aubrey Clyke Jr. aka Junior

Meet Junior. When I had my first dog, George, back in 2004, every morning we would walk up Hiltz Ave., en route to Greenwood Park. Occasionally we would see a guy on his bike riding up or down and he’d wave. Then the wave turned into ‘Mornin’ Darlin’. I remembered ‘that voice’. Loud and deep. It was fit for radio. I imagined hearing it on a Jazz station or as a deep baritone/bass in a choir. He stopped one day and gave George a nice head scratch and we exchanged our hellos again. Ever since then, I’ve been seeing Junior riding his bike around Leslieville, or doing work in people’s gardens, on their roofs or doing renovations. I always shout out a ‘Hi’. He eventually came and did some work for me (and most likely many of you!) too. From George, to Gracie and now Sunshine, whenever we see him, we always stop, or wave, have a chat. There’s something about Junior.

The 4th oldest of twelve (!) kids, Junior hails from the east coast; more specifically, near Antigonish, Nova Scotia. His mom, Christina, was born into the slave settlements that started in New England and ran up the east coast into Canada. His dad, Aubrey Sr., was of French Canadian and Mi’kmaq/Metis descent. Large families were encouraged back then. The government gave grants of land to settle and work/live off. He recalls a happy childhood, and even as a young kid, Junior was working as a logger/pulp cutter in the mill and in the farming and fishing industries after school.

In 1974, at the age of 18, being a bit of an ‘adventurer’, he left N.S. and headed for Toronto where one of his brothers and other relatives lived. “I planned to go for 2 weeks”, he laughs. That was 43 years ago. “Toronto was the place to be – the land of opportunity Di!” He’s worked in every conceivable job since, from foundry work, to roofing, as a mail sorter at Canada Post and ten years as a driver for Toronto Barber & Beauty Supply.

They say memories are golden

well, maybe that is true.

I never wanted memories,

I only wanted you.

A million times I needed you,

a million times I cried.

If love alone could have saved you,

you never would have died.

In life I loved you dearly.

In death I loved you still.

In my heart you had a place,

no one could ever fill.

If tears could build a stairway

and heartache make a lane,

I'd walk the path to heaven

and bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken

and nothing seems the same,

but as God calls us one by one,

the chain will link again.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.rosar-morrison.com for the Clyke family.