Saturday, December 13, 2003
a view into life in the north:
I flew into P.G yesterday morning, over the skinny green trees and naked birches. The rural houses with unused acres of land looked lonely. Leaving the plane, I got bit by the dry cold, and the wind blew snow onto my bare hands making them wet by the time I walked inside. My mom was there smiling, all classy winter styled. She took me to Earls (our tradition) then home where I promptly slept for hours. My invalid step-father watched Animal Planet all day. He's got a broken leg/infection/odd rash. He's in rough shape.
So this morning I took him to the hospital, for his daily iv drip and bandage change (he has 2 big holes in his leg to let the poison out). It was a weird feeling, me driving his F150(the Honda Civic of the north) with him in the passenger seat. I had forgotten how big the vehicles are here. Then we went to get a new prescription for him in the worst parking lot in town. It was designed in Vancouver to fit as many cars as possible. Unfortunately, no one actually owns cars, so the boxes of trucks stick out making it impossible for more than one truck to drive by and parking almost undo-able. In the store I passed by girls from highschool and their little children, but no wedding rings.
After we came home and I had cooked the crippled his lunch, Dale Bull came over. Dale is one of the many people who are involved in my life, but i'm never sure how exactly. The thing is, when you know people up here, you don't really have the option of only being an acquantance. Dale went to my church, is friends with my step dad, is married to my mom's friend- who is a girl that i went to highschool's sister. They are also our next door neighbours. On the other side is her little sister. They all still go to our church, where I grew up with the girls. I also was Dale's son's youthpastor - Dale Jr. Anyways,He came in complaining about the roads and that Gordon's truck lost its power steering on the way. That's right, he was in Fort St. John bringing back Gordon's truck. Then he vented that the cabinet guy got to work at 4 in the morning. Yeah, he helps my step-dad build houses. Then Gordon gave him tickets to the next game (hockey, obviously) that we aren't going to use.
Tomorrow I'm going to church, where I will see other people like Dale who have been involved in my life in many little ways. Here you don't say how you know people (from work, school etc) because you just know them (work and school and church) through so many ways. Life here is simple
I wish you guys could experience this place. Its ruggedly charming. You would understand me and my bluntness so much better. People here are so raw and honest. I hope my newfound southern sensitivity won't be a problem.
