1976 May 7th. En Route

(Journal Entries)
I'm on my way to Edmonton.

Montie and I have been on the train for about 26 hours since leaving Montreal. We expect to arrive at the Edmonton station for about 7:00 a.m. on Sunday and then meet up with Scott Johnson later in the day at the Library. Hopefully we'll find a job on Monday...if we are lucky.

The prices on the train for food are ridiculous.

At least we have the entertainment factor - drunks who enjoy singing through the night. Could be worse - babies crying.

1976 Monday May 17
Prince Rupert BC
Inlander Hotel

It's late afternoon.

I have spent another day at the railway station...waiting, waiting, reading, waiting.
Such patience I never knew I had.
All this for a job.

Did I make a big mistake letting Montie have the job that I had fought for?

I guess after a day like this one would think so. I sure hope something turns up tomorrow. I understand that today is payday for the work gangs, which for me I'm told is good, since once paid, some of these people never come back. Well hopefully someone will quit.

I'll either have to get in touch with Montie for money soon or go home this Friday. I am paid up in this hotel until then.

I am not homesick for home... but I am for my girlfriend.

1976 Tuesday May 18
Prince Rupert BC
Inlander Hotel
7:13 AM

I'll be back at the Railway station in about 15 minutes. It's just around the corner and down the hill and looks out over the Pacific and Queen Charlottes. It is strange to think I am on the other end of Canada.

Hopefully by this evening, I will have a job.
Well here goes.


1976 Tuesday May 18
Prince Rupert BC
Inlander Hotel
10:15 AM

Well it's about time.

Got it! I took a job in the Prince Rupert Yards. I start tomorrow morning at 7:00 A.M.
I'll be making $4.52 per hour and the shift is minimum 9 hours per day.

1976 Wednesday May 19
Prince Rupert BC
CN Yards
6:30 AM

The sun is not yet up. I have met the yard master. He gets to wear the white helmet while the crew have to wear yellow ones. I'm crew.

(I'm glad I ran into Scott back in Edmonton. He warned me to get well stocked up on steel-toed construction boots and warm light hunting jackets to wear under the over-alls and rubber wet ware. You can almost set your watch to the rain-fall here. It is clear in the morning with sun until late morning and then it pours on you. Then it clears by 2:00 or 3:00 PM.)

"Hey you - get some work gloves on and follow me." A yellow helmet guy commands me. He doesn't even look at me or say good morning.

"Christ I'm just waking up! " I think to myself. What happened to the ..you start at 7:00a.m. bit?

I can make out a white shack in the emerging morning haze.

"Here..." He says, "...Take the key and open the shed. Then bring out the 'picks' off the floor. Bring out six of each and I'll bring the car over."

He looks me up and down in disbelief.
"Oh by the way, have you ever done this before?" He asks.
"No, but I'm a fast learner." I respond -trying to sound motivationally correct.
" Well you might learn fast, but the question is, will you last?"

"Oh come on, " I think to myself, "It can't be that hard..."

The shed is right beside a parallel side track or "spur".
I manage to unlock the big padlock and open the heavy doors.


It's dark in there and I stub my steel toed boot against something and fall making one hell of a racket while bashing my shin on the way down.

From outside a head peers in.
"Ya gotta turn on the light first. " He says, reaching in to the side wall.
The bare bulb on the ceiling goes on and I find myself sitting atop a bunch of heavy steel rods.
"Those are the picks." he says.
He leaves me to continue the task.

I look down.

The rods (picks?), gray steel, are about an inch to an inch and a half thick in diameter and are about six feet long. At one end a point and the other flattened.
"O.K." I think, "let us begin".

I reach down and get my fingers under one of these things and pull.
"Oh Oh"

"Did I hear an 'oh-oh'?" a voice queries outside.

"Shit".