Back at it, again.

Today is the official day that Darryl Katz becomes owner of the Edmonton Oiler’s. The Oiler’s were looking to acquire Marian Hossa a UFA from Pittsburgh. Kevin Lowe had a great offer for him as well: $10/season. A couple of hours ago he signed with Detroit for less money. Well, when you can go to a Stanley Cup contender why not? I can’t help but in the back of my mind (since last year’s off season’s Lowe/Penner deal) that somebody put a bug in Hossa’s head not to play in Canada. If not in Hossa’s head then in his agents head. Notice all the big name stars are in the US? It’s not that we can’t afford these players. Someone (ahem) wants to keep the star players in the US. (The better to sell NHL hockey to an American market.) Hey I’m just saying.

Another beautiful day here in Edmonton. Hard to believe it was 30 years ago I was in New Westminster BC slumming in a rooming house meant for homeless people. The rooming house was sanctioned by the Province I believe. I recall how (I think 5 of us) we’d get meal tickets from Welfare and we’d cash those in at the Pacific Café. (long gone) Most of my stuff was in storage at the Anderson house. I think I moved out of there about August 1st when I got this big UIC windfall of over $1,000. I barely stayed in the apartment block for 2 weeks, which was on the site of the current Douglas College. Of curse the apartment was old and drab like most of New West was back in those days. I stayed in that place about 2 weeks when I got a letter from my folks inviting me up to Edmonton. I picked up my mail at General delivery. Downtown post office. It’s now the location of the New Westminster downtown Police department. About the invitation however, Mike invited me to attend his wedding. Mom sent me a return Via rail ticket.

I don’t recall much of the trip but I left August 15th and got to Edmonton 2 days later. Jeff picked me up at the CN Via rail tower, when Via was still dropping passengers off right downtown. That weekend mom had tried to convince me to remain here in Edmonton. She would get me a job working with Wackenhut Canada as a security guard. I thought about it over the weekend. I figured why not? I’m only 25 and there was nothing left in New West for me at the time. I brought my UIC claim up to Edmonton, stayed with my parents in their Bellaire apartment and the rest is history.

I recall going back to the coast all but 5 times in those last 30 years. 1980: Was on SCA business. 1984. I remember hooking up with Dave Winfield my childhood best friend. 1991, 1997 and the last time 2000, which the last 2 times were in Victoria.

Anne’s out doing a bottle run. We’re kind of short on cash this week but at least we have July’s rent money and our bus passes. Anne gets paid a couple of times this month and that’s for August’s rent. My cheques cover everything else. I’ve got just under $5 and I need a quarter and I can get a half liter diet Coke and a 6/49 ticket. The bottle money will just keep us in pop and I get paid tomorrow.
I shouldn’t rag on Rob or the company. Sure it was a rotten thing they did, not having to come up to me and say something like “Well, Jim, if you miss a day without a Doctor’s note you don’t qualify for your CC’s bonus.” To be fair it wasn’t like I went up to Rob etc and said “Listen, I’m taking Monday off.” I just took it off and showed up the next day. How fair and honorable is that to them? Not much. So I shouldn’t complain to much how lousy I’m being treated there. I work the evening shift. During the morning and afternoon if you’re a tap shooter, you must be pulling in $200 line hour. The line hour is the money/sales you get on your recap in an hour. For the sources we have it’s almost impossible. Moe isn’t like that because mainly we have a shortage of workers for the evening shift. You get what you get as a tap shooter. So I shouldn’t complain. Yes I’m only getting $10/hr but I’m not limited to staying at Xl like the East Indian kids are. Due to immigration policies they can’t leave for a better paying job. Many of them are saying that this job is nothing more then “hand from mouth.” Basically all it means is that your just making a living to cover the basics. Making ends meet. The real good jobs are Union/trade and professional jobs. I’ve been going through these hand from mouth jobs all my life and making a career of them. Army & Navy Department store in the 1980’s has been that way. These types of jobs are at the low end of the employment food chain but in the 1980’s and mid 1990’s people were struggling just to get those kinds of jobs. I’ve been one of the lucky ones. I’ve been able to barely keep my nose above the waterline.

Anne’s not back yet from the bottle run and her banking and it’s getting kind of late as well. This afternoon at 4pm I’m going to Xl with a good attitude, grateful that Rob has kept me all these years. He’s still a weasel but one I can live with. After work it’s coming home. Nothing special tonight. I’m going to get some piano practice in and do my reading, watch the news. The usual.

Anyway Bloggers, that‘s all for now

e. Jim