Leaving was difficult, Not for me,
but for my mother. She never wanted any of her children to leave home. She did
nothing to talk me out of it or complain about my leaving. That was because my
dad was happy about my decision. At the time we left, she expected I would be
back by early May. She let go, as she was not going to take away my fathers
happiness. He wanted me to go. He had high hopes for my spiritual future.
We were typical Americans of the
day. We knew little to nothing about Canada. We had the Encyclopedia of
Britannica so I checked it out. Regina, Saskatchewan our destination did not
appear in the write up. There were pictures of the Canadian Rockies, Montreal
and Toronto. I skimmed the written description so missed the part about the
parries. I was expecting something similar to the Rockies.
We left for the great “white”
north in January 1963. I don’t remember snow in Omaha and there certainly wasn’t
snow in Denver. We have a great visit with Al’s aunt and uncle and I was in awe
of their neighbor’s lawn. It was completely cement and painted green. Obviously
they did not want to mow. It was an ugly sight.
To me early February seemed a
strange time to begin a new semester. But this school was on a three-semester
system. We would be arriving for the third semester and expected to only be
there for 2 and half months or so.
Regina was basically due north of
Denver, so we headed west to Central City, Co to see the old mining town. This
only made me think we were going to stay in the mountains. Central City was a
fascinating an old mining town. We stopped for photos of the town and a mine.
We were high enough to be in the snow. To get back on track to Canada, we had
to return east to go on north.
All looking to see Regina. Al checking out a min
Al already in the car anxious to get going. Central City, CO
As could be expected, we talked
about girls. I had encouraged Al to date a girl he liked before, but I began to
hound him about it now. I had dated Bev once and figured they would be perfect
together. There were an awful lot of things that I was fearful to do, but asking
a girl out was not one of them. If he liked her, why hadn’t he dated her? I was
concerned about that before we even left. Now he would be out of sight out of
mind. Better pray boy.
We left Colorado and cut in to the
north side of the black hills, wishing we had more time to get into the hills
for a visit. That area made me wonder if we were getting closer to the
mountains, but the further north we went the flatter the land got and the more
snow we encountered.
I don’t remember the border
crossing but we knew it would come. The questions were simple and we had the
proof that we would not become a financial burden on the country and we were
coming to be students. Into Saskatchewan the land grew more flat, and the snow
deeper. Darkness was coming and we saw the lights of Regina way before we saw
the city. We found the school, pulled into the central circle and wondered,
“What have we done?” The place appeared to be the most barren and desolate
place that might as well have been Siberia as far as we would tell. Nothing was
attractive and that was a problem to my artistic senses. The building was
washed out and the campus seemed none existent, three building none at large as
my high school. It was nothing to behold.
The school registrar met us and,
went over or class schedules, showed us where things were in the administration
building and got us settled. We were not going to be roommates as we had hoped.
Since we arrived late in the year, we had to fit in where there was space. The
dean of men met us and escorted us to our rooms. Al was on first floor with
Floyd. I was taken to the second floor and was to room with Doug. He wasn’t
back yet so I took in the room. Frankly, it was about the ugliest space I had
even seen. Made me thing my own home was beautiful.
The room was plain. There was one
closet on the right that would barely hold my things. It was empty on my
arrival. There was a dresser or the left with a light bulb sticking out the
wall above it. It turned on with a short chain. There were beds, of sorts, on
either side, also built in. They were little more than a raised wooden box
holding a mattress. There were also build in desks at the fall wall with
shelves above each. The exterior window was between them with a radiator
beneath. It hissed at me. I was told my suitcases could be stored under the
bed. There was an opening at the end.
He left and I was alone in this
dreary little room wondering why on earth had I agreed to come. The building
was disgusting and this was not the Canada I was looking forward to. I wanted
to cry, but instead sat on my bed for a while with my elbows on my knees and
staring at the floor.
I did not want to unpack until I
met my roommate, but as it got later I took the empty dresser drawers and hung
my clothes up. I made my bed and lay down with my arm over my forehead. Why, O’
why was I here.
Apparently no one took pictures of this school in the snow. I sure didn't. So I had to do a quick cartoon illustration to make it more like we saw it. The snow might have been deeper. All I really know is that it was cold
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