Saskatoon and Class Clown

The landscape is changing. The fields have taller grasses and more clusters of trees. Along the Trans-Canadian Highway we see lots of signs for par 3 golf courses. Needing a stretch we pull over and find ourselves parked right beside the tee for #7. Golf cart path and sidewalk are one and the same!  Two carts roll up with golfers ready to chat. I tell them I met my first Canadians while running a pro shop at a golf course in Greensboro, NC. Lots of Canadians golf their way to Florida and back in the winter months. They recommend some camping and fishing spots nearby. And a “cute little town” called Saskatoon. They even offer to let me drive their first shot down the fairway. These people are so darn friendly. 

We pass up the offer to tee-off and it’s on to Saskatoon. ETA 6:00 pm. 

Perfect. We haven’t eaten out in awhile so it’s time to treat ourselves to a nice meal. This “cute little town” can’t be too little based on the number of restaurants or too mainstream based on the diversity of culinary choices. We decide to try Odd Couple for Asian Fusion. Expecting a smallish town we were shocked to find ourselves headed into a sizable city at the busiest time of day. Parking was tough. 

But we found parking (Steve is a magician). Found the restaurant. And found ourselves on a 1-hour waitlist!  

Okay, no problem. We need a walk. And this very eclectic, very diverse area is also very interesting.  To say the least. Feels a little bit like an artsy college town but with a down on its luck vibe. Lots of people on bikes. More than a few people without shirts or shoes. And a couple of people talking to themselves or yelling at some unseen or invisible annoyance. I recognize this neighborhood as one with a high homeless population. I can’t imagine how the homeless survive a winter here. I ponder the emotional impact of these past two years of isolation. At first I feel a little uncomfortable. Then I begin to look closer and see how this community seems to have created a place of acceptance and safety. There’s a certain sense of wholeness. As if to say, this too is part of our town.  Looking closer I see the street art and sculptures and graffiti differently. 

We need gas which requires Steve back the little guy out of a really tight spot. I get out to direct Steve and hopefully slow traffic. An upcoming car kindly stops. The driver rolls down her window and says “you’re from NC. I used to live in Asheville, but I was born in Sanford”

Imagine that!!! Sanford is 30 minutes from our home in Pittsboro. 

She really wanted t keep talking, but here we are in the middle of the road blocking traffic. And Steve looking in his rearview mirror with no clue why I hadn’t jumped back in the car. All I could say in this moment of meeting was “Sorry . I have to run now” 

We got gas and found another parking spot…right in front of the Salvation Army’s Homeless Shelter just as my text pinged “your table is ready now” and walked half a block to the restaurant. 

Odd Couple was the happening place of Saskatoon. Chic and trendy and filled to capacity. Deservedly so. The food was perfection. Steve had Pad Thai. I chose TROUT.  Oh my goodness!!! The best trout I have ever tasted!!! How did they cook it?  I don’t know. I can’t even guess. But, WOW!

City life doesn’t wear well on us these days so we head back out to the wide open spaces. Oh give me a home where the Buffalo (bison) roam. 

Footnote: the whole time we were driving to Saskatoon I was remembering scenes from Schmigadoon. A Broadway musical spoof on Apple+. And guess what, it was filmed in Vancouver 😜

And from Steve. Class Clown.

The inspiration for writing was camping on a hillside in Alberta where we got a taste of the northern lights and a 360 degree light show. 

I am peaceful….. a cool breeze blows across my face. It’s an evening of grace from the worries of everyday concerns. No need to be clever or funny or dramatic or to have a problem. And I always have needed problems. 

When I was 18 my exchange student brother brought life into our nuclear family he was a Dutchman from Holland named Jelle and he played tennis ping-pong and soccer. He was more the extrovert I was the introvert.

 His idea of a good time was a few beers with friends and flirting if there were any women around. Mine was smacking a tennis ball or studying for a test.

I was extremely unknowledgeable around the ladies.  I couldn’t imagine why these mysterious creatures would be interested in me and if they were, what would we do? The safety of school sports and my family was enough for me. In a group of people I often was the clown. I felt honored when the votes were tallied for funniest in our senior class 

ChipHolton 246

Tommy Barnes 12

Steve Erickson 9

Solid third place finish for funniest in my class.  When Jelle left after his year of study he gave me a large poster of a clown with a smiling face painted and a tear falling from his eye. 

Prophetic.  a large portion of my early midlife were opening my emotions and the well of tears 

.Every stage of life comes new learnings and this stage is to continue to allow myself to experience abundance and peacefulness but at a deeper level.