As a kids I was always lucky to go camping in the summer time. The camping aspect was great, but I think the trip getting there was just a little bit better. I remember fond memories of picking up cherries with Papa and Mom. I generally sat in the middle of the truck, but when cherries were present, Mom got the boot from the window seat. Papa and I would roll down the windows, throw a cherry in our mouths and then send the pit to the road side. We would eat so much that the next day we would have a large desire to use the washroom.
On road trips Papa always liked to sing his twisted military songs. Mom would give him heck, but that never stopped him. Looking back now, he refers to them as the family songs. I laugh knowing how dirty they were, and just have to say, "Sorry Papa, I won't be singing those songs to my kids until they are twice the age I was when you sang them to me!"
Papa and I also did a road trip to Ontario, Northern Ontaria, where Papa claimed the mountians were as big as BC's. Take it from me... they are like the man made mountain in Sask, "Black Strap." The things that are true; the bush is thick, the bugs could carry you away, and the fishing is very good.
One day on our road trip, Papa drove from Edmonton to Kenora, Ont. We pulled into a road side motel at approx. 2:30am, and got out of the car. We were lucky that night because we met the nice motel owner and a representative for CAA, who came and unlocked the car so Papa could get his keys. To this day he always says I was supposed to be watching the keys, but I clearly remember him saying, "I have the keys, lets go check in. Oh... and remember, lock your door because the bears around here love opening the doors and stealing valuables!" So as a great kid, ALWAYS, obeying orders and rules, I did what Papa said.
Here's Papa in the middle of one of his classic stories.
They usually started with... "I uses to jump out of airplanes..."
Papa's gonna love this one but he won't be able to read it until tomorrow because guess where he is? The Legion of course. Keep up the good writing Don. Love you!
ReplyDeleteBaldeagle here,
ReplyDeleteThat Papa you write about, is he one of my people? Like I mean 1st Nations? Yes I remember him now very clearly. Once when I had the opportunity of being a passenger with you 2 guysfishing, I recall Papa using his Native way of calling fish. It was called the 'Fish Call'. It did bring results. It was cause for the Baldeagle to have to leave the boat and you and Papa caught all the fish. Then there is the story about Lebarski. Another one of those stories. I must say, that Papa is one good guy and you should be proud of him being your Papa. As the Baldeagle I have come to really appreciate the good guy he is and of course we do enjoy the odd Port together. Perhaps when you arrive back home at the Goldenrod Ranch, we can make a special day and go do some "fish calling" again. Yea I miss those times.