The Writer found these other photos in that “suitcase” I mentioned in “There Was a Time When…….”

Let me explain about this “suitcase”.

I had a hand-me-down suitcase as a teenager that came from some relative. It is sized about 16″ wide x 24″ long and 6″ deep. It was this total baggage that I had when I took the bus from Pelly, Saskatchewan to British Columbia in 1956, to travel to work with my brothers Lawrence and Russel in Trail British Columbia at their fledgling building construction firm. It was a sacrifice that my parents loaned me so that I could earn enough money to buy my clothes and essentials to continue my schooling from grade 10 and onwards through University.

So into this “suitcase” went all my essential belongings. So you can imagine how many clothes changes, this boy must have had. Into this “suitcase” also went anything of a personal keepsake. It was in this fashion that I accumulated pictures and many personal letters which I have retained to this day.

When I met my future partner Marilyn, she convinced me that two people could live as cheaply as one. One thing was for sure, I could not pack all her stuff into this special keepsake and Marilyn allowed me to keep all that was within it which included many “special” letters from girl and boy friends as I migrated from Saskatchewan to British Columbia for seven (7) years. Her stuff needed moving vans.

Yes this also included all the letters from Marilyn which were written as we communicated from the schools that she taught while I was in Saskatoon. Our grand children will have a ball when they get their hands on it.

I met Lorne Tamelin as he became another employee at L.W. Verigin Construction Ltd in 1959. It was not long before we became good friends and he invited me to join him on  weekends as he taught me how the Doukhobor Youth associated with each other in those days.

Lorne had this fabulous car and handsome looks that was an easy attention-getter should we find a bunch of girls out for a walk in their Sunday best. These photos suggest that the “boys” were priming themselves for the upcoming “shopping spree” that would take us to Pass Creek, Ooteschinia, Thrums, Slocan Park, Taghum and any other place where there was an opportunity to meet girls.

I admit that looking was so good but at times we ended the Sunday with no girls. Not because there was a lack of interest but basically we had trouble with “closing the deals”.

Oiyayoi!

Oh how nice it would be to take another trip with Lorne who is now deceased. Strangely enough we both married school teachers and they were never part of the shopping excursions. We also had four children and remained family friends through many years that involved building projects for the extended community.

Another nostalgic moment for Elmer…….

Written August 08, 2017 1500 hours