Lanny
Forgot about that. We would put the line down our pant leg and when we caught one we would pull the fish part way up our pant leg (I can hardly type for laughing….) so that we could get away without being seen with a live 5 lbs trout. It was hard to run when the security guard was chasing us. This is under the category of “what were we thinking?”
Gillan
Anyone recall camping (just us kids) on the south bank of the Bow River near Prince’s Island? It had a little more slope. We really did- more than once. Hard to picture that now a day.
The Strand theater (different than the Palace, wasn’t it on the east side of Center downtown?).
The Jean Joint downtown? All of us sleeping on the porch in the way early years.
Gillan
Monte’s love of the Calgary hockey farm team- the name doesn’t come but I am certain Monte recalls vividly. He dragged me to more games and Saturday morning breakfasts than I wanted to attend but he knew every name and stat and he was in heaven. Stampede wrestling. Sweet Daddy Zeeky and the Hart brothers.
Gillan
And how about those Friday night games going to the hockey games and stopping at Linda Mays for french fries and listening to the little juke box at the table. And yes Gillan, I was in heaven going to all those games and breakfasts at Eaton's.
Monte
Had a flashback of folding kayaks made by dad and Rolly Boisselle. Was that his name? Putting in at Bowness park (had to Google the name- I have been gone a long time) and doing organized boy scout races to Prince’s Island (??). My arms about fell off and my stomach nearly came up and I got a wet butt and came in near last. Would love to do that again without racing.
Gillan
Gillan and I used to go to the International Hotel with Jody and swim, sauna and eat yogurt and cheese.
Gillan and I going to the "Y" and the million guesses for that Christmas present.
Monte
Wow, the international hotel. Do I ever remember. Jody had these great guns from doing curls and really got into weightlifting there. When he went on his mission I got on the staff with Rock and always felt way richer than I ever was with the benefits there. I pretended to exercise and like the sauna, but I was nothing more than a wanna be.
Lanny
When Monte and I got YMCA memberships it was a Christmas gift and it was disguised in a box the size and shape of a guitar with just my name on it (I think). I was initially disappointed I didn't get a guitar but we went often to the YMCA downtown. I joined the wrestling club. We used to swim naked with the old men. No big deal back then. I can remember sitting at the counter of the cafe at the Y with Monte eating a hamburger when I heard Elvis Presley on the juke box sing "The Ghetto" for the first time.
Gillan
The International Hotel was another incident of Jody getting everyone in on a good thing. He got Lanny and I and Monte and Mario and others connected. It was often pretty quiet down there in the basement. Besides the pool and sauna there was a pool table. One night Mario and I were alone and in the sauna and didn't want to go all the way to the bathroom to pee so we peed on the hot rocks. We nearly died from the toxic fumes. There was a mustard cloud that didn't dissipate for almost an hour. We were concerned we were going to set off the smoke detectors. Eventually the air cleared. Very nasally memorable. One evening Joel Grey from Cabaret fame came in to the Spa for a massage. Who was the masseuse? He was from Sweden or Norway I think. I also remember the yogurt and cheese. That has been a staple snack through the years. Every time I eat them together I do so with nostalgia for the International. We used to order room service hamburgers from the kitchen and for some reason we had to pay for them in the stairwell (??).
Gillan
Walking down to the Hudson Bay company with Marshall, just me and him, on Saturdays to look at things in the store. We did that several times. I even have a picture of us somewhere near the Bay that a stranger took and gave us a copy. I will scan when we get to that stage. We would go look at things and displays and end up on the third floor near the escalators where they sold hot dogs and small chocolate malts a lot like a frosty at Wendys. I can still taste them. We also got into buying perfumed gummy bears on the main floor. I think Jody started that.
Gillan
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.