My Story 19

After lumbering across the Atlantic, the Super Constellation landed in Montreal. I took a taxi to the train station, my first major expense. At the train station I went looking for somebody that I could explain my intentions to with my English, and the little French I spoke. Try this sometime, go to a station in an other country and try to get a train ticket for a two day trip for one dollar. Well, it took a while , but I finally settled in one of the coaches. I had no idea how far it was to Winnipeg, and how long it would take, and most important how expensive it was to eat on a train.

Finally , the end of my journey. I was in beautiful Winnipeg late at night, at the CPR station on the corner of Main and Higgins. I would be met there by my pen pal Jeanne and her parents. But nobody was there. Slightly frustrated you might say, I sat on top of my enormous suitcase while the station emptied. Soon I was the only one there. I said a quick prayer. Then a man walked up to me and asked the right question: "are you an immigrant?' I told him I was and that my contact had not shown up. He walked me over to the Immigration Building which was in those days right next to the CPR station. There they gave me a place to sleep in a large room, on a bunk bed which looked so similar to the army bunk beds, that I felt at home instantly.

The next morning I got a hold of Mrs. Young, Jeanne's mom. Her husband had already gone to work, so she did not have a car to pick me up. I volunteered to take a bus at Main and Higgins. Those who know Winnipeg will agree that this is not the most picturesque part of town. Nothing like the pamphlets they showed me in Holland. A collection of cheap movie theatres, beer parlours, old hotels, and Pawn Shops. I asked the bus driver to put me off at the right street, but I still had to walk a few blocks with my oversize suitcase. Anyway, I made it. Mrs. Young was a tiny, sweet lady who took delight in feeding me cookies. Jeanne was a pleasant looking girl who was, get this, engaged! She must have forgotten to tell me. No wonder she felt a little awkward. Her sister Louise was not half as pretty, but ten times more approachable. Nice christian people, but I had other things on my mind.

I had a job soon, and immediately moved out to a rented room, twenty two dollars per month. One of the people at my new job was Rose. She wore lots of make-up, very red lipstick and sported her over sized front to the delight of the male staff. All day long she made sexual innuendos, and the guys giggled. One day she got too personal. I just had enough and walked out. I never went back there.

A few weeks later I got a respectable job within walking distance. I worked there over four years. Weekends would be boring and I could not wait for Mondays to come so I could go back to work. I loved it. I felt a sense of accomplishment and independence.