The buck stops here. -Harry Truman, 33rd US president (1884-1972)
Neg Mawon at once embodies the marooned man, the runaway slave,
and the free man. He symbolizes the complex history of the Haitian
people: stolen from Africa, marooned on an island and liberated through a
brave and radical revolution. Shackles broken, machete in hand, the
free man does not hide; rather he blows a conch to gather others to
fight for the freedom and dignity of all people. ... Neg Mawon is the indefatigable spirit of Haiti's people, a
people profoundly and proudly woven to their history. Haiti After the Earthquake, Paul Farmer, PublicAffairs, 2011
Hi Derek and Gayle!
Truly wish I
was the Marathon Man. What an experience to actually do the 18,000 km
World Bicycle Race. Just to finish would be a winner! Thanks for all the
wonderful snaps of Marnie's/Ant's new home, Tristan, Whistler and pony!
I wouldn't mind signing up for un-crating all those boxes of full wine
glasses! Talk about Marathon People: Porthtowan, Chapel Porth, Mount
Hawke and Sydney House! Hard enough to do it on my Navigator!!! Trust
Stefano and Goodie Two Shoes are both well. Interesting stories from
more recent Cornish miners. Can well imagine heat in Saudi and similar
desolation in Australian Outback. When will Pigmobile be back on the streets?
Had
a shorter ride yesterday. Weather forecast predicted rain early in
morning until around 2:00 pm and as we were having breakfast at 10:00 am
with our friends, the Balzarini's, I expected to try and squeeze in an
outing in the afternoon.
This meal out together eventually came
about as a direct result of chatting with David about pasties, at
memorial service. We both felt it would be fun to try to get together
while Corinne's parents were still in town. Long backstory but it involves a chap by the name of Jarek, a Pole, who jumped ship in
Vancouver back in 1980. Through another friend we learned
about him and his brother, Edvard, on same Polish fishing trawler, and they worked on our house on
12th/Mackenzie when we were renovating in late '80's. Talk about drive and
hard work. Jarek is really quite a character. He and Edvard both worked
with Dusty on the major renovation to the Balzarini's home so that is network
connection.
While Edvard stayed in the construction
business, Jarek, ever the entrepreneur, eventually bought an IHOP
franchise. That restaurant is in Richmond, off Bridgeport, not far from the Oak Street Bridge. About two years ago Jarek opened this second place on Broadway, between Laurel
and Oak, so we decided to meet there as it is fairly close to us
and to where the Great Balzarini and his wife, Janet, live. At any
rate, we had a wonderful reunion. Loads and loads of fun recalling past
times and learning about intervening years when we'd lost contact.
Aside
from anything else, (This was completely unpremeditated!), I may well
have a new "mule" for my California wine. A couple of years ago Jarek
bought a holiday home near Bellingham, close to Lake Whatcom. Now that
his son and daughter are doing most of the day-to-day management of the
restaurants, he and his wife spend most weekends there. He told me,
without hesitation, that I could stash my wine at his place there. (At
present I have two cases in Berkeley, one in Portland and four in
Bellingham at Katie's grandmother's place. However, real "problem" is
getting product across border without having to pay duty.) A fairly hard
drinker when we first met him, Jarek, (like some of the the rest of us,
others not to be named!), has toned down. Anyway, he said he'd be happy
to bring back four bottles, (DF allowance, 2 bottles per adult), after
each weekend. He would take them to the IHOP on Broadway and I'd go
there, have a large free breakfast, collect them, and everyone is happy!
Great to be a Drug Lord, particularly, especially when product and
muleage are legal!
At any rate, after a tasty meal, (Dusty
treated us all!), we said goodbye and made for home. It had never rained
and sun was shining, sky a startling blue. Soon as we were back I
called Giggster and we made arrangements to ride, meeting at Point Grey
and Macdonald, at 1:00 pm. Couldn't believe how lucky we were, given
what had looked like a fairly miserable forecast. However, no sooner
than we had congratulated ourselves sky started to darken and by the
time we had reached the bottom of the Foreshore Hill it had started to
rain. I was dressed quite warmly as I thought that we might get caught
towards the end of the outing but Whirlygig had on shorts and decided
upon a bike without fenders!
Rain became somewhat heavier as we
made our way around UBC and once past campus we were headed directly
into it so it was't all that much fun. Seemed to be a bit of clear sky
to the east so I took that as a promising sign. Giggenheimer wasn't too,
too happy, however, and when I asked him what he wanted to do he made
no bones about wanting to head for home! Since traffic was pretty heavy
and steady on Marine, I suggested we make for set of lights at 41st in
order to cross, not wanting to stop and risk the Burning Ground. I
thought Giorgio was following me but he wasn't at all interested in
going any further than necessary so by the time I realized he wasn't
behind me, he was out of sight.
Learned the following later: "I waited at the turn
to Westbrook but I guess you had gone East, so to speak. I hope you
stayed out there to capture the sun. I was almost thawed when I got home
-- then spent an hour, ironically in the sun,
cleaning the flotsam off the Jamis."
I
had known, beforehand, rain or shine, that Giggster was only interested
in a relatively short ride, so now, finding myself alone, I determined
to shoot for a 70+ km outing. This being the case I proceeded to pursue
the required extended dipsy-doodles that I'd need to achieve this and
was rewarded with clearing skies and the quite warm sunshine Whirlissimo
alluded to. As the rain had not really been all that heavy I wasn't
ever uncomfortable and the gorgeous sunshine dried the roads and warmed
my back for the better part of the solo junket. Stats for ride: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/460953729#.UyOThe2j5lc.email
Home by just after 4:00 pm and spent almost an hour, on the patio, cleaning off the aforementioned flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict from the Trek. By the time the bike was cleaned and chain oiled it was time to fetch Lady Mary form her volunteer duties at Aunt Leah's Thrift Store, so donning Branson's driver's cap, instead of my titanium riding helmet, I made of Broadway and Main.
Once
Her ladyship was collected we returned home for dinner. Might well have
played bridge with Clara and Dusyt but they were out, to The Keg on GI,
as Flamin' and Sarge had given them a gift certificate for all the
work, (replacing light switches, and the like), Dusty has done for them
over the past few months.
Anyway, while Coriandre went downstairs to say
hello to Flamin', (She just started a new job, Manager of Social
Workers at a hospice not all that far from Chloë's loft, this past
Monday.), I made a salad, finished roasting potatoes I'd put in oven
while cleaning my bike, and fried some deliciously spicy/hot Chorizo
sausage. When The Sisterhood had finished bonding and Coramandel
returned, all was ready and I opened a 2007 Misiones de Rengo, (Rapel
Valley), Cuvée Carmenère, 14.5%, and I must say I was more than
delighted. I bought a case about two years ago as I thought that it had
pretty good cellaring potential and we were certainly rewarded. The nose
is still quite intense with delicious aromas of blackberry jam and
a hint of toasted oak. What I loved, in particular, is the
hazelnut on the long, smooth, elegant finish. What a perfect compliment
to the Chorizio! Happy to say I still have six bottles left in my
shockingly empty "cellar" so I'd better hurry up and move my wine to
Jarek's place!
After dinner we watched a couple of episodes of Orange is the New Black. Do you know it? Chloë told us about it:
Orange Is the New Black is an American comedy-drama series created by Jenji Kohan and first released on Netflix on July 11, 2013. The series is based on Piper Kerman's memoir, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison,
about her experiences in prison. The series revolves around Piper
Chapman (Taylor Schilling),
a bisexual woman living in New York City who is sentenced to 15 months
in a women's federal prison for transporting a suitcase full of drug
money to her former girlfriend, Alex Vause (Laura Prepon),
who is an international drug smuggler. The offense occurred ten years
prior to the start of the series, and in that time Piper had moved on to
a quiet, law-abiding life among New York's upper middle class. While in
prison, Piper is reunited with Alex, and they re-examine their
relationship and deal with the tough inmates.
I
must admit that I wasn't all that taken with the first episode but was
soon gripped by the unfolding storyline. What I really think makes for
much of its hold, on me at least, is the way in which the earlier lives
of the various inmates are woven into the fabric of the present and
therefore offer background evidence as to how and why the women ended up
in jail. Characters whom one judges, on first meeting, to be
frightening and certainly nasty people, begin to take on a new dimension
as we learn about the forces which have trapped/shaped them. As well,
prison life is described in pretty graphic terms at times so there is a
grittiness to the series that gives it a certain credibility.
While
certainly cannot claim or pretend to be an expert on incarceration, I
actually did "time", one night only, in the Headingly Provincial Goal,
just outside Winnipeg, back in the mid-'60's, choosing to go to jail
rather than pay for a $25 traffic violation. Don't think I'd try such a
thing these days, (given AIDS and increased violence, etc.), but I was
curious to see what conditions were like. Since my summer job had not
started I had time on my hands, so to speak. In fact, short stint,
(Aside from first few hours at police station holding cell, with toilet
in middle of room, no seat, completely exposed to one and all, steel
bunks with no pillows or blankets was a bit of an eye-opener and had me
wondering just what I'd got myself into, especially when handcuffed to a
particularly unsavoury character as we were transported, chain-gang
style, into bus which would take us to Headingly!), was more of an
interesting night out.
I was a bit disappointed that I didn't have my
own Birdman of Alcatraz type cell but was rather in the so-called "Bird
Cage", a large room, within an even larger room, enclosed with heavy
wire mesh and lined with bunks. Prisoners were held here until they
could be assigned permanent cells. While there I wrote a letter, on
behalf of a poor old rubby, (Rubbing alcohol flavoured with cheap wine
and a favourite of Cora Lee's!), derelict alcoholic who used to commit
petty crimes in order to spend the cold weather in jail, to his once
landlady, to have his Old Age Pension cheques forwarded to Headingly!
Also, spent some time chatting with one of the guards. Turned out he was
working, part-time, on obtaining his BA from U of Wpg, my alma mater.
By this time I was enrolled in a Master's program at U of Manitoba so I
had more education than my jailer. My own Shawshank Redemption!
In
fact, I "stole" two toothbrushes, two pairs of socks and two enameled
tin cups when I was discharged nest morning. Even liked breakfast:
boiled eggs, strip bacon and canned cherries. Rode back on bus with a
chap, about my age, who was doing a day less than a year, for selling
hash. Times were liberal and he had dispensation to attend classes at U
of Wpg during the week, returning each day to spend the night in jail.
Bus stopped along the way to Headingly to pick up other prisoners who
were involved in work programs at various factories, welding shops and
the like.
Did the same on way into Winnipeg, dropping them off at
various work-sites. Far better form of rehabilitation than is often
offered now. Of course, most of these inmates were not incarcerated for
violent crimes. However, I was pretty scared, I must say, shortly after
arriving at Headingly. Was still handcuffed to the unsavoury character I
mentioned earlier when a strapping young Black man strode up to him and
almost spit in his face. I was straining to distance myself, as far as
was physically possible, due to the shackles around my waist and hands,
as I could see the palpable hate in the blazing eyes of the extremely
well-muscled, angry aggressor.
I had visions of being stabbed,
inadvertently, stuck with a shiv, collateral damage, in any altercation
that might take place. From what I overheard, my "chain-gang friend" was
accused of being a "stoolie", something I could well believe, later,
when I learned, from another inmate, that supposedly he was charged with
beating his own mother. At any rate, Orange presents just such a mix of
comedy and threat so it seems pretty damn realistic, given my own
limited experience.
The
Sisterhood, Cora Lee, Joanne and Flamin', took off for Bellingham at
9:00 am this morning, off for a day of Outle Mall Power Shopping and
Bonding, so I am luxuriating in the luxury, sheer luxury of doing just
what I want for entire day! Fondestos to you both. (Chloë breezed
through, en route to GIB, when I started this missive and asked me to
say hello.) Cheers, Former Jail-Bird, now Pannekoeken Patrizzio!
Pics: IHOP; Clarisse, Janet, David; Cora Lee/Dusty; Edvard, Grazyna and Jarek; The Great Balzarini!
Hi Ian! Trust you are well. I took
in the opening screening, sponsored by Reel Causes, of The Great Flood,
this past Monday. Chose the date, in part, as I thought I might bump
into you. At any rate I was quite taken with the film.
Looking forward to Nymphomaniac I &
II. I only know Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves but was most
impressed with that work so very curious to see his latest. Not quite
sure when I'll be going to VIFF to see them. Hope to do both on same
evening. Will you be going? If so, perhaps we can connect. Cheers,
Patrizzio!
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