Eva's Popcorn Stand

A summer stay with Grandma taught this teenager the value of patience, hard work— and having fun

- Holly Howat

The little red car careens down the back lane, a cyclone of dust is left in our wake. “Crazy driver, Grandma!“ I exclaim, with my hands on the dash and a teenage smirk on my face. We are racing to open the popcorn stand for the evening. It’s a summertime tradition in this picturesque Prairie town.

Radville is located in the rural municipality of Laurier, nestled in the scenic Missouri Coteau region of southeastern Saskatchewan. Rising like an oasis out of rugged rolling Prairie land, Radville’s abundant tree-lined streets arch over you like a warm Prairie hug. It’s a vibrant community of proud Prairie people, and this is where you will find Eva’s popcorn stand.

I’m 15 years old, just spent an entire day on the bus, shipped down to Grandma’s for two weeks. I was not a willing participant in this decision, leaving my friends and horses behind.

It’s 5 p.m., the heat of the day is stifling; the sound of soda bottles clink as we pull them from the trunk of the car.

Grandma instructs me to open the padlock on the candy-red wooden door. “Prop it open, get some air moving in here.”

First, you load up the Coke cooler with pop, to ensure they are frosty cold for the night. Ice-cold water awaiting, Fanta, Orange Crush, Cherry Soda, Mountain Dew—all popular drinks with the candy crowd. Customers already patiently mill around, with their bikes propped up on the picnic table outside.