More Important Visitors

We began to wonder why our little town was becoming such a center of attention. We had just had the Prime Minister of Canada visit us and now a big Canadian Battleship came cruising into the harbour one day.

We had very little notice but those of us who were not working, gathered on the dock and got our first and only look at Canada's Governor General, Roland Mitchener. He was flanked by a couple of Members of Parliament and I can only remember Paul St. Pierre. Can someone help me with the other gentleman's name? I cannot remember a word of any of the speeches, but I am sure it was one of those "great land of ours" speeches.

It was not but a few minutes later that the imposing warship turned on its tail and headed back to sea. I remember feeling like the world had not forgotten us after all. The loneliness of isolation was broken for a brief period of time and I remember the people staying on the dock and watching until the ship turned the corner in Cousin's Inlet and headed up Dean Channel toward King Island. It perhaps had only been a dream and folks around us slowly departed without so much as a sound. It was back to same old, same old, and the outside world would have to carry on without us.

Friends

The Klassen's were one of only a few families left from the Gospel Fellowship Hall days. The town seemed to be emptying out and it was good to have a group we got together with and got along with quite well. Here we are having a picnic on a rare rainless day.

We had purchased our own boat which we could take to water easily either above or below the dam. After a while we preferred fresh water. There was an oily goo on the rocks, if you look closely, from a barge spill not long before. We had a difficult time getting it out of our clothes and off the boat. Here Neil is looking a little concerned and just a bit cramped too.

It was great to introduce, in person, the girl I had been writing to and telling the gang about for so long. She fit right in and was loved by all after the first meeting. Far left, Larry and Rosanne Rae. He worked in hydro and they had two very cute kids. They moved into the Gospel Hall after my sister and her husband moved back to Vancouver to continue their education at UBC. Next to Larry is Charlie Clotworthy. He worked in Tech Control and was above me as an inspector. During the mill slowdown, his job was eliminated and to stay in town, he took a demotion and I ended up training him in a junior position below me. He was a war vet and had suffered shell shock. He was a proper English gentleman but when his buttons were pushed he took on an almost evil persona and he frightened me many times. The Klassen's and then us, new kids on the rainy rock.

Showing Her The Ropes

All the time I used to spend writing letters, we could now spend together and we were outdoors whenever it was not raining and many times when it was. This was the road to Martin Valley where there were a number of private residences. The road was narrow, especially along this section which was wooden. The following spring, we were walking down this lane just as the Salmon Berry bushes were in blume and we found oursevles in the midst of a humming bird migration. The air was buzzing with the tiny creatures as they were stopping for a break among the blossoms on their way further north. They were as thick as flies and I recall that as a car drove by, they were bouncing off the grill and bumper. I picked one up and for the first time in my life I was able to examine one close-up. It was limp and warm and I saw that it was a Ruby Throated Humming Bird. The delicate body and intricate feather colourations were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I flagged down the next car and let them know to drive a little more slowly.

This was the lake behind the dam. There was row of boathouses that were left stranded, high and dry, as we experienced one of the driest winters in Ocean Falls' history. Normally all those stumps in the background were under several feet of water.

But the rains soon returned, as they always did. Here, all the floodgates are open and it was with a mighty roar that all that water cascaded down to the rocks below. Imagine too that the penstocks (huge pipes diverting water to the mill for industry and for hydo-electric power generation) were taking as much water again, so the total volume was immense, all supplied by rainfall and runoff from Baldy Mountain.

This was the natural part of the original falls. It was always a thrill to go up to the dam. Anywhere else, it would have been a big tourist attraction. When the rain was heavy, the background noise of the falls was always heard, throughout the town. There was never a concern about the dam bursting because the town sat high and dry. The mill, perhaps, would have been in some trouble, but then only at high tide.

A Stormy Beginning

We sorted through our wedding gifts and decided what to bring with us on our journey back to Ocean Falls. I had purchased some used furniture previously so what we needed to bring was small appliances and things of that nature. We already knew we would not be going back for Christmas so we had to be careful to bring everything we would need.

It was late October when we set sail from Ballantyne pier and it was a most beautiful sunny late autumn day, as you can tell from the photos. Lis had flown to Ocean Falls back in June so this was her first taste of the alternate transportation to the north coast. It was wonderful and we were so happy to be embarking on our new life together. Little did we know that only hours later, we would both want to die.

There is a stretch of open ocean that must be sailed, north of Vancouver Island, before once again hitting the shelter of the inlets of the rugged coast line. It was storm season and we did hit a storm. Or should I say that a storm hit us. It came on very suddenly and I was amazed to see the waves coming right over the bow of the freighter as it ploughed through the heavy seas. At first it was an adventure and challenge just to stay upright as we navigated our way around the ship. But when we were confined to our cabin and could only lay on our bunks, the sea sickness came over us in waves as big as the ones just outside the porthole. The violent motion was relentless and the nausea was all that dominated our thinking. There was no escaping it as we lay there, moaning and groaning. I heard the familiar dinner bell, calling passengers to dinner. Food was the last thing on my mind, but I was curious to see if we were the only ones lying low. As I staggered to the dining room, the smell of something frying caused me to heave, but not before I glanced through the glass of the swinging doors. There was not a soul in there. Aha! Even the captain and crew are not feeling well. That should have made me feel better but it did not. It was the first time in my life I literally wanted to die. It would be the only way to get away from the relentless rocking, up an down, up and down. I cared about nothing, not even my beautiful bride, lying there in a fetal position, green faced and moaning. We made an oath that we would never again take the boat either in or out of Ocean Falls, that is, if we would survive this trip.

After The Wedding

After a wonderful evening reception at the Sherbrooke Church in Vancouver, we settled in for plenty of picture taking. Here we are with both sets of parents.

In spite of my poor driving record, I managed to rent a car, a vanilla 4-door Pontiac Parisienne, a version of my very first car, only 10 years younger. Being early October, we were fortunate to have no icy roads and we got there and back safely. We had a wonderful time riding the gondola, relaxing in the hot springs with snow cascading down, eating, and ....and.... I can't remember what else.

We arrived home after 10 days away, to a mountain of wedding gifts. We were overwhelmed and now we had to chose what we would take with us to Ocean Falls and what we would leave behind in storage. I remember being taken aback because I had not really considered this aspect of a wedding before. Friends and family were so very generous to us.

Here we are on the Northland Prince saying our farewells. Lis's mom and sister are looking on as she opens a gift from her little brother, a sketch he had made, of a lion cub, already framed and ready to hang in our new apartment. I think he was being clever in that he knew if he gave it to us on the boat we pretty much had to take it with us and not store it in some dusty basement for the next few years.

The wedding and honeymoon were experiences that would have overwhelmed me at the best of times, but after having been isolated for so long, that old culture shock was kicking in. By the time we were leaving on the boat to return, I was back in my old 'groove', but now I was going back to isolation. The huge consolation was that I would not be alone and that we would not have family at hand to interfere or give us advice as newlyweds. This perhaps was needed many times, but we managed to work things out by ourselves and became stronger for it. If I had known how the trip back to OF was going to go, I would have stayed on dry land.

Wedding Day Ocober 10, 1970

The day finally arrives but what is this? The groom is late? I wonder if he will even show up or did he get cold feet? Note the look of concern/fear/anger/apprehension. I remember getting caught in traffic and I was late but not late enough to throw off the schedule.

Here we are cutting the cake so we obviously survived the wedding ceremony. We were actually married by two pastors, hers and mine. They are both still living and doing well and when we meet them we remind them that because there were two off them, they were able to tie the knot really tightly. We have not even tried to untie it although we have eyed it a few times.

We had no attendants, not that unusual for those times. Just yesterday I met the man who sold me that suit. He is now 88 years old. There is not a chance I could fit into it today, even if I still had it. I weighed 155 lbs, the result of being a bachelor and having to eat my own cooking. Or not.

Always the best part of a wedding. :) My mom and dad, looking on, seem to be enjoying that kiss just as much as we are. I was talked into getting a haircut just before the ceremony. My hair was shoulder length until hours before this photo was taken. It was the hippie era, you know. I made a deal and was allowed to keep the sideburns.

Meanwhile

All her cousins, friends and family threw a surprise shower for Lis

Guest of honour, but no man to show to anybody.

It was strange to know that my fate was being planned for me and I was not there to have any say in the matter. Life for me in Ocean Falls did not change except that the letters were flying back and forth even faster and more furiously. I would have only a few responsibilities to carry out when I arrived in Vancouver for my wedding day. I felt very detached knowing that there were parties being thrown on our behalf but Lis was the only half that was visible. Many of her friends knew a lot about me from her, but had never met me. I had a lot to live up to because she was apparently bragging about me as young future brides are wont to do. The pressure was on and I was bound and determined to keep from getting cold feet.

My Last Single Summer

Front Street looking from the theater toward the docks on Cousin's Inlet. Today, there is nothing here but the derelict Martin Inn at the end of the street. The roads that were not wooden, were concrete.

There were few distractions that summer, as I waited for the calendar pages to flip. There was always the rumour mill to keep one entertained and informed and that summer the talk of Ocean Falls having numbered days was prolific. That is why I was completely baffled when another rumour began circulating. The government was going to build a new school to replace the one that had just burned to the ground. Ordinarily, this would be a good thing, but I could not see the point in spending $1 million on a new structure for only a few years of use. In those days, that was a lot of money. The tilt-up concrete structure had to be barged up from Vancouver and then of course, it had to be equipped and furnished. Sure enough. By the end of summer, it was completed. It still stands today, but I do not know what it is used for. I heard that at one time it was home to a fish hatchery operation. Strangely enough, it is still referred to as the 'new school'. It is now 40 years old.
Another hi-lite was a visit by a very popular and famous politician. Pierre Elliot Trudeau came to Ocean Falls! It was in the days of 'Trudeaumania' and I caught a first hand glimpse of what that was all about. He came by plane for a quick town tour and a speech to be delivered in the theater. I, along with many others, waited at the doors to the theater because we knew he had to eventually walk right past us. We were not disappointed. I was amazed at how short he was and I could not figure why the women were screaming like groupies at a rock concert. He was not at all good looking. I was only a few feet from him and got a picture with my new camera. I would post it if 1. I could find it. 2. I care. I have never been a fan, but that is for another post.

Re-writing History

I received this very disturbing email today. For those of you who have checked out my "Gulag Letters" link on the side bar of this blog, this will mean something. For the rest of you, be aware that England is not the only country that is re-writing history.


Theft of Letters:Russian Police Break into Memorial Society Office

Dear readers,
It is with considerable concern that I write to you.
Several years ago, the Memorial Society in St. Petersburg, asked for my copies of original letters, my book, documentary, and photos of the writers. Their interest was very affirming. The letters were very significant to them. Many phone calls and emails travelled between us. The Memorial Society planned to exhibit the letters (written by the Regehr family from their Gulag prison camp) at their museum in Perm 36.
Four months ago, the office of the society was raided by the Russian police and all files were confiscated. This is chilling. Documents held by the society appear to be a threat. The article in the Chicago Tribune describes the incident. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/dec/17/nation/chi-russia-stalin_rodriguezdec17

So what now? With the new Russian regime determined to re-write history, what can we do? How can we ensure that the stories of those who suffered are preserved? That the victims of the Gulag are remembered?
I suggest the following:
Listen to family members and friends who fled Russia. Tell them you will remember.
Share these stories with the online community and anyone else who will listen.
Forward this newsletter to a friend.
Purchase a book or DVD as a gift for someone who needs to remember.
Regardless of what you decide to do, the most important act is to remember.
Sincere thanks for your continued interest in the letters and in those who wrote them.
Ruth Derksen Siemens

Understanding Unions

This catamaran was one of the many home built boats. Many people had a boat both on Link Lake (fresh water) and one on the 'salt chuck'. Fishing was big!

I tried to concentrate on work for the next few months. I have always been an avid reader and now I was finding myself reading both during work and on my time off. There were many break-downs in the mill and although I had to be there for the whole shift, there was not always a lot to do. It was rare for all four paper machines to be running in fine form.

I was learning more about the union mentality most mill workers were operating on. I was quite frankly disgusted with the attitude that the company was the enemy. Not all employees were of this mindset, but it was very common. I had chosen to not attend union meetings and that resulted in a fine every month. It was a small price to pay to keep from hearing the constant rhetoric about how the company owed us this and owed us that. I always wondered why some of those guys didn't just up and leave town if they were so disgruntled. Many had been born there and had worked there all their lives and had no thought for the fact that if it were not for the company, they would not even be there.

One night I learned about job descriptions. I was caught up with my duties and was watching a new recruit trying to keep up with his workload on one of those rare times when all the machines were running full tilt. His job was to push the finished rolls of paper to a scale where they were weighed and labeled. He was getting behind and the backlog was interfering with the winders. I went to help him with the thought that if I helped him push rolls for five minutes, he would be caught up and the rough, burly winder man would get off his case. I was pushing the third roll when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to face Dick Haas, the winder man with an attitude. He jabbed my chest with his thick finger and said, "What the h**l do you think you are doing?"

"I am helping Mike get caught up so you guys stop yelling at him and calling him names." I was sure my altruistic motives would calm him down.

With his powerful hands, arms and shoulders, he grabbed my shirt under my chin and hoisted me off the ground. I suddenly recalled that he was one of those guys staring me down at the union meeting where Gordon and I were the only dissenting voters. I would be telling a lie if I said I was not afraid.

"If Mike cannot do his &*$# job, the &%&^$^&# company has to hire another union brother to help him. Now you get back into your cubbyhole and do your own &^$&^#@ job."

Poor Mike was more frightened than me because I could escape but he had to stay out there and endure more verbal abuse. Moments later there was a paper break and Mike got his reprieve. We were both very relieved that Dick was very occupied the rest of the night trying to problem solve on his machine. Up to that point, Dick and I had treated each other coolly, but after that there was an animosity about him that made me very happy when we drew different shifts. Ever since that incident, I have disliked muscle shirts and tattoos of anchors.

Waiting

We spent the rest of my holiday making plans and spending time with family and friends and spreading the news of our engagement. It was a good time, as I recall, but I knew that I had a long haul ahead of me. What was waiting for me in Ocean Falls was a good job, but a hotel room and no family or really close friends.

Life became very routine for me once again as I returned. I got almost daily up-dates on how the wedding plans were proceeding and I felt at such a disadvantage being so far away and having to leave all the work to Lis. But then again, had I been home, would I have really had a say in the flower arrangement for the 'head table' at the wedding reception? Increasingly, I was looking forward to being married, but somewhat dreading the wedding. I was recognising that each time I went 'home', I was experiencing some culture shock. Would I be a total social misfit by October?

One of my recollections of that summer of waiting was an incident at the mill. Everybody had to cross the bridge to get to work and just as you approached the bridge, there was a big sign giving the latest safety information, days without an injury, accident, death, etc. It was always the talk of the mill when something happened. These incidents usually happened when I was not there but that was not always to be.

In sight of my paper testing station, was a full view of newsprint Machine #2. When ever there was a 'break' or paper tear on one of the machines, the whole mill would shake, rattle and roll. I remember one time seeing a chunk of concrete fall from the ceiling. The noise and vibrations were very intimidating. They were having trouble with #2 machine and the paper kept breaking. Each time this happened, large sheets and chunks of paper would run through the stack, a vertical series of large steel rollers that compressed and finished the paper as it came out of the driers on huge rollers. There was a catwalk at the upper reaches of the stack where the machine tender could inspect the process and also where he had to be when the paper was re-wound into the stack after a break. I stepped out of the lab to get a better view, but always keeping well back to give the guys plenty of room to work. Time was critical because huge amounts of ruined paper would stack up under the machine when it was coming out of the machine in a broken state. I was watching the guy on the catwalk. There were large wads of paper caught in the stack and it was jumping like crazy. Machine tenders always carried a mahogany stick with them, similar to a billy club. They used this to tap the roll of paper as it wound onto the spool and they could tell by the sound of things if the paper was winding too tight or too loose. Adjustments on the tension would then be made. The guy on the stack was trying to push loose the wads of paper with his stick when suddenly the wad of paper flew out and the stick was being pulled in by the spinning spools of steel. He hung on tight, not wanting to lose the stick and his hand disappeared into the space between two steel spools. I was watching him at just the moment when he jerked his hand back. There was no stick, but no fingers either, only blood spurting onto the white paper making it look even worse than it was.

There was not even an attempt to retrieve the fingers because they would be smashed beyond recognition and would have immediately fallen into the 'beaters' below the machine where excess paper fell to be re-pulped. The young man was taken to the first aid station and I never saw him again.

I remember the big burly winderman coming into my lab shortly after the machine got running again and flippantly saying that this is what happens when you are 'stupid'.

I was hoping that I would not be 'stupid'. Would Lis still marry me if I was missing a body part or two?

An Engaging Time

I cannot remember if I flew home or took the Northland Prince, but July finally arrived and I was on my way to Vancouver. There were no fancy jewelery stores in Ocean Falls and 'mail ordering' a diamond ring just didn't work for me, so when I asked Lis to marry me, I had no ring to give her. So the first thing on the agenda was a shopping trip to downtown Vancouver to buy gold and diamonds. We spent a wonderful day looking at rings, with a decent budget to work with, and we eventually settled on one we both liked. Now we could tell the world. Well, not quite yet. There was one last hurdle to cross and I was really hoping that it was a just a formality. Those were the sixties and it was the right thing to do. I had to ask permission. We arranged a 'meeting' that night with Lis's mom and dad and after a wonderful dinner, and after her pesky brothers were sent away, we four had a chat. Lis's dad was a little intimidating for me but he was very affable that night and I think he was nervous, like me, and fully knew what was coming. He told stories about his time in South America and I was really enjoying the stories but getting nervous every time I looked at the clock. Lis told me that they always went to bed early and I knew it was well past their bedtime. I was not sure how to break into the conversation and switch from Chaco Cowboys to wedding plans. With an encouraging look from Lis, I summoned up the courage, finally. I still remember the words that were spoken.

Me: "I think you know why Lis and I wanted to talk to you tonight" (half asking, half telling)

Future Father-in-law: " Yes, we know. It's OK. You have our blessing"

Then looking at my future mother-in-law he said, " Let's go to bed mom, it is late."

I sat there thinking, "That was too easy." I had been prepared, like a defence attorney at a trial, to present my case, my arguments, supporting documents, etc. etc.

It looked like we were getting married and we set October 2, 1970 as the big day. Now we could tell the rest of the world.

Martin Inn

The sad day came when I said good-bye to my family. I knew I would miss them and I certainly did as the next few months dragged by. I started out my bachelor days house sitting for Neil Klassen and his family while they were on holidays. He was an instrument mechanic and was also one of of the few families attending our little church group. I did not enjoy staying in the big house by myself, but again, managed the day to day affairs of living, well enough. I knew I was not cut out to be a bachelor. It was just too lonely not having people around and living in the same house. I thought those hippies in those communes were pretty smart. No loneliness there! When the Klassen's returned, I took my few belongings and checked into the Martin Inn. I remember that it cost me very little money to stay there. I was assigned a room on the third floor looking out over a parking lot and beyond to my old house now standing empty up on the hill. My alarm clock kept me regimented and scheduled. Work, eat, sleep. One consolation was the good food in the cafeteria. I could simply charge my meals to my employee number and it would be deducted from my paycheck every two weeks. I could even pick up a bag lunch for work. It was a necessity because my room had no kitchen facilities or refrigerator. It was a typical hotel room with a bed, desk, dresser of drawers, and a bathroom. My linens were changed every few days and it was reasonably quiet as there were few residents and indeed, a large section of the hotel was closed off. One other thing I remember well was the lounge with TV. We only got one channel, sometimes, so there was no arguing over football versus hockey and most times, the guys just hung out and talked or played cards. It was a decent atmosphere, but I was so glad it was only temporary. July was around the corner and I was heading to Vancouver again.

Trauma and Transitions

In 1907 this site was chosen for a mill because of the natural waterfall from Link Lake into the ocean. All that was needed for an ample supply of fresh clean water and hydro electric power was the construction of the dam. With all the rain, the water supply was so great that after usage for power and mill operation, the abundant water still overflowed the dam.

I was losing my family soon. My sister, niece, and brother-in-law were soon leaving. The hall/house would be abandoned as there was no use for it and empty buildings were becoming common in town. We almost lost it entirely one night. There was a steam whistle on the roof of the steam plant at the mill that whistled several times of day, mainly for shift changes and at noon. There was also a three blast signal if there was a fire in the mill and four blast whistle if there was fire in town. When we heard the blast from the whistle, we dismissed it as another false alarm or maybe fire practice for the volunteer brigade. We went to the living room window which had a commanding view of most of the town and noticed an orange glow coming from just below us. The school, one of the largest buildings in town, other than the mill itself, was right in front of our house, just down from us and to the left. We stared in disbelief as the fire grew and it was soon apparent that the old wooden structure was no match for the fire fighters. As the fire rapidly grew, we suddenly realised that we were grave danger if we did not get out of our house quite quickly. We were uphill from the fire, on a steep slope, and the wooden road and stairway that joined the streets was a perfect 'fuse' for the fire to creep upward. There was only one way out of our place and that was down the road right behind the school. Failing that, we would have to crawl up a very steep and rugged slope into the bush above 10th street. Doing that with a babe in arms was not likely. We quickly gathered a handful of valuable and some milk for the the baby and rushed out of the house. As I climbed the stairs from my room to the upper level and exit door, I touched the walls and they were already getting hot, on the inside!
We escaped without incident and stayed with friends just down the street until the wee hours of the morning and things had cooled off. In the light of day, we saw that some of the windows were cracked from the heat and the paint was blistered on the corner closest to the school. I cannot remember if it was raining that night, it probably was, but something saved the building. The question is, for what? The best thing was that our possessions, for what they were, remained intact. There was talk, the next few days, that a set of twin boys, not wanting their exam marks to get out, torched the school. I would say their strategy worked, at least temporarily, because the school was completely destroyed.

It's Official!

When agonizing over an important decision for a long period of time, there is a great relief when it finally comes to a conclusion. My work and my life in Ocean Falls now took on a different look as I had purpose and a goal. There had been rumours floating around that the town's future was in jeopardy but I was not too concerned as my dreams for our future did not include that little town for the long term. I now saw it as a good starting point for our life together. I may have told my sister and brother-in-law about our engagement, but other than that it was going to be a secret until July when next I would come to Vancouver. We would have a diamond ring by then and announce it to our friends and family. The uncashed paychecks sitting in my dresser drawer would now have a purpose.
In the meanwhile, the letter writing continued at a furious pace. The post office pictured above was a regular stop for me everyday, either to or from work. My home in the Gospel Fellowship Hall would soon no longer be available as the decision would be made to shut it down and my sister and her small family would be leaving soon. As a single man, I would be required to live in the hotel (Martin Inn) until I was married and then we would be assigned an apartment somewhere in town. I was not thrilled about living in the hotel, but the prospects of having my own little dwelling, even though it was rented, was something new for me and was an exciting prospect. There would be things yet to endure before our planned wedding date in October.

As The Days Fly By

The road in front of the town's theater. Note the small parking lot even though the theater was full whenever a movie came to town, which was infrequent.

The next ten days flew by. We had a lot of catching up to do and we had never spent so much time together. I showed her everything there was to see and we went on a few hikes to my favourite spots. I was still working so it was also a good time for her to get to know my sister while I was out of her sight. It was also a welcome relief from writing letters day after day. Even though we had never specifically discussed marriage, I knew that if I asked her, she would probably say "yes". I was about 90% sure, also thinking that worst case scenario would be a "yes" with reservations and maybe a "yes, but not now". I had agonized over this for long enough and now I was quite sure what I wanted, and hoped Lis would want it too. We stayed up very late that night because I did not have to get up for work the next day. In the wee hours of the morning I 'popped' the question and her enthusiastic answer was exactly what I needed. When that was out of the way, we really had a lot more to talk about and ended up talking until the robins started chirping as the sun came up. We had a lot of plans to make and not many more hours before she would lift off in the 'flying boat'. But it would be OK, because now there was a purpose to me being there and with time on my hands, many plans to firm up.

The Die was Cast

As quickly as the mail plane could deliver its precious cargo, I got my answer. I didn't really think it would happen because she had to clear it with her dad and I was not sure about him yet. But he knew she was staying at the 'pastor's house' and I guess that clinched it because as soon as her classes were done in May, she would be on the plane. Her days of independent wealth had not yet arrived (in fact they still have not) so I sent her the money for the return ticket and anxiously awaited her arrival. The above picture is the actual flight she was on and I was very nervous as the plane taxied up the ramp. All the post flight checks had to be made and then the passengers were allowed to disembark. I had a sinking feeling that she might not be on the plane. She probably got cold feet at the last minute. Maybe she was late getting to the airport in Vancouver. And then she stepped out. My heart soared. I had visions of two lovers running toward each other and embracing, oblivious to those around them and free of any embarrassment as they held a long and sensuous embrace. There is a reason that this is just the stuff of dreams and Harlequin novels. Reality, is, well, different. No starry eyed gaze, no moist lips waiting to be kissed, no out stretched arms to hold the one she loved, but rather a pained look on her pretty face, crossed legs, and through clenched teeth uttered those unforgettable words. "Where is the washroom? QUICK!"

Decisions

I was at an age where decisions were being made that would have life lasting consequences. Often these decisions were made with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. One of those decisions came that winter after I got back to Ocean Falls after coming very close to not returning. I was young and full of energy and needed more purpose to my life than putting in time and watching my bank account grow. I was making friends at work but was torn as to how to pursue those friendships outside of the work setting. At home we would go dating, go to movies, just drive around (cruise) and sit at the A & W and discuss cars and girls. There was not the same culture in Ocean Falls. I could not get into fishing, playing cards, or partying with lots of drinking so I had to make a decision. Instead of pursuing those things, I decided that I would take my relationship with my girlfriend to the next level. Those were dreary, wet, and cold months and I spent all my spare time writing letters and even taking a business course by correspondence. After spending the little time I had with Lis at Christmas, I think we both realised how much we had missed each other and although we had not spoken of marriage, it was on both our minds. I cleared it with my sister and then decided to ask Lis to come and spend a few days in Ocean Falls when her school was finished. I knew this would 'seal the deal' so it was very scary for me. I do not commit to things easily, but when I do it is firm. I sent the letter and waited for her reply. And prayed.

Standing Before the Judge

Here I am, sitting proudly in my 1963 MGB roadster with friend Norm in the passenger seat. It had knock off wire wheels, a racing stripe, a customized rolled and pleated leather interior and a leather wrapped roll bar. And, of course, the latest rage back then, an 8 track tape player with four speakers. (Simon and Garfunkle, The Mamas and the Papas, The Association.... Oh yeah!)

I do not recall too much about that Christmas other than the fact that I was not at my parent's too much for those few days I was back. I had a lot of catching up to do with friends, and of course with she whom I greatly missed. But she was back home with her parents for the Christmas break from school, so, again, we were in different cities. We were not getting to see too much of each other, but all the letter writing had indeed drawn us closer. There was one important issue that had to be taken care of and that was what had eventually swayed my boss to let me go home for a few days. I had an appointment with the Judge.
In August, just before I got the call to go to Ocean Falls, I and my friend (not the one in the above photo) were driving in downtown Vancouver one sunny afternoon when the bus beside me in the curb lane suddenly slowed. Being very low to the road and thinking the bus was slowing down to take on a passenger, I kept on going. An elderly man was driving off a stop sign into a busy thoroughfare with not a care. I slammed into him in his left front quarter panel. His was a 'big iron' Oldsmobile Detroit boat so he only had a scuff on his front fender. The entire front end of my little MGB folded like an accordion and I had to stand upright in it to see over the fold in the hood. Needless to say it was not drivable. There was a policeman right there who had witnessed the whole thing and he suggested I push my car onto the side street which was on a slight downhill and park there while we did the paperwork. My friend had a bummed out knee from the crash but we managed to get the car parked against the curb and were standing beside it when the Oldsmobile came crashing into the back of my MGB. The back end was now folded like the front. His car had stalled and so when he and the cop pushed his car onto the side road, he could not apply the brakes because they were power brakes and his engine was not running.
To make a long story short, I was charged with two accidents! To add insult to injury, I was charged with the very serious offence of driving without due care and attention. I paid two deductibles on the two accidents, had the car repaired and then went to Ocean Falls with instructions to my friend to sell the car. I had also, just previous to that, had a speeding ticket so I had enough points on my license to have to go see a judge. If he 'signed' my license, I would be suspended and have to take a 'safe driving course', complete with films of mangled bodies at scenes of accidents. ( I later took the test in Ocean Falls and passed with the highest score possible) As I stood before the judge, I thought of the injustice of it all and was preparing my arguments. At the last minute, I made a decision that I would stay in Ocean Falls for at least another year and it really did not matter what happened because I would not be driving there regardless. I suddenly had real peace about the whole incident and gave the judge a big smile as I handed him my license. Indeed, I did not require it for the next 2 1/2 years.

My Ride Out

The Northland Prince leaving Ocean Falls in Cousin's Inlet

The Northland Prince plying rough waters in the Queen Charlotte Sound north of Vancouver Island.

I had always assumed that when Christmas came, I would simply get out of town. It was not that easy as many others had the same idea. There were other employees to consider and schedules to set with earned holidays to take into consideration. I had no seniority at that point but somehow managed to get the powers in the front office to release me for a few days. Flying out was risky at best because the flights were day to day due to bad weather in the winter months. The journey was much quicker, but one could wait four or five days for a flight. I opted to sail out of town on the Northland Prince. It was a passenger/freighter ship that was built in 1963 at the Burrard Shipyards whose sole purpose was to service communities on the north coast of British Columbia. It came into town twice a week, once on its way to Prince Rupert and then again on its way home. So catching a ride home was only possible on one day of the week. I booked my passage and was very excited to go home. I was fortunate that first trip because the seas were calm. This was unusual for December in the Queen Charlotte Straight. The trip was 17 hours and I had arranged for a friend to come to the docks to give me a ride home.

I remember suffering culture shock on my arrival back to civilization. The hustle and bustle, the traffic, and the noise were something I had grown unaccustomed to. It was great 'catching up' with my friend on the one hour drive home, but I was certainly in another world, a world I was not sure I liked. I was already having second thoughts about my plan to go AWOL on my job.