My friend Antonio is a barber. He came to Canada two years ago from Italy, where he sang in the opera. We've had some good times, Tony and I, like a few weeks ago when touring company presented Rigoletto in our town. Tony phoned me, all excited and insisted I attend with him as his guest. Although I am no great opera fan, I did enjoy the familiar music of this old classic. Last week, because I wanted to repay his kindness, I took Tony to a wildlife film dealing with the conservation of the Whooping Crane. On the way home Tony was silent. "What's the matter my friend?" I asked. He said, "I was amazed to see 2000 people there tonight when they were only 800 at the opera a few weeks back." He scratched his head and went on. "Do that many people care about the hooping Crane?." "Yes, I'm sure they do," I explained. "We care very much that they are not all killed off." "But it doesn't seem right," Tony said. "There are at least 2000 people in this city who care about what happens to the Whooping Crane, but only 800 who give a hoot what happens to the opera singer.” His point was well taken, but I think I put his mind at ease a moment later when I said, "Tony, my friend, we Canadians care enough about the Whooping Crane's AND opera singers not to allow the shooting of either."
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