The day I had been dreading, the day when I would start to return to a former life that I barely remembered but wasn’t all that satisfactory. A day when I had to get and early start so as to return a Brake to her environment – and see Woody Point one more time - but one where starting early seemed to bring an early demise – racing to the execution. Tried to make it like any departure – well the CBC were on strike so I couldn’t hear the Ode upon awakening, there was a beautiful sunrise just east of Ted’s shed. Didn’t see Ted this time, wanted to congratulate him on the completion of his boat that both Paul and me saw from its inception As if I were heading to the airport in a rental, stopped at the Irving in Torbay to fill up. Stopped at the Tim’s for a double double, unlike the other times, craned my neck to point out Cape Spear in the microsecond that it appears between Signal Hill and Fort Amherst just beyond the narrows. It was a bright sunny day.
If I hurried – did I want to hurry – I could still have a coffee at Granite before it closed, I could still buy phone cards at Pete’s for the phone ins on the way back. I could still buy souvenirs that I hadn’t had a chance to get at the Discovery Centre – even that horrid Koch Art in the Park shirt – as a memento.
Again the plan was Gander halfway, eat then make the final push to Bonne Bay – be “home” a bit before racing to the ferry, the mainland and exile – it may be hyperbole but it was what I was thinking.
Leaving the island meant the start of negotiating the return. This time had been different for it was under the auspicious of Parks Canada and the A.G.N.L. so not a pleasure trip. This time was great for while it wasn’t the entire summer, it was a good six weeks thanks to the “perfect storm” of Ally getting married within a reasonable time. This time was great as I had acquired a new ideal life.
I feared the token fortnight that would return if I couldn’t find another sanctioning body and another daughter for Jim to marry off – there are only two left and the next will do so in England.
All along the way I noted the irony of wanting to make it to Bonne Bay but not wanting to hurry to get of the island. Conjectures were made as to when I would have to leave to make the ferry, I forgot when it actually left – thought that it was 23:30. Knew that it took 45 minutes to get from Deer Lake to Woody Point – had been making that calculation for about a fortnight now, kept checking the distance from Deer Lake to Port aux Basques – two hours from Corner Brook, three from Woody Point if you were a bar keep, if you didn’t drive at supersonic speeds it was more like three and a half to four hours.
Was told about the Wreckhouse, worried about fog, road work.
Stopped at the Subway in Gander. Earle kept phoning progress reports to family in Bonne Bay, Shirley wanted to see the snaps I had made of she and Brud.
Gasoline and off where again proving how small the island is – or how I now felt more at home – passed Bruce and Irene Martin driving the bus he left Woody Point with 10 days ago – outside Grand Falls/Windsor. Was hoping that we would be in Woody Point long enough to have him drive up. The day before I had seen George Anderson’s son turn left in front of me into Indian Meal Line in Torbay.
A pit stop, the long stretch from Springdale to Deer Lake where with Kendra I almost ran out of gasoline, then the turn off to the Great Northern.
It was Sunday, people were out and driving slowly, not even making it to 70k/h when the limit was 90. I saw the time lessening due to them.
There was talk of next time taking time and doing the outports, relatives in St. Anthony, exploring the island, people’s cabins along the way – exactly what I had hoped to do this time between the residency and the wedding. Thought about that long road to Burgeo, Buchans.
Passed the hut where I first went to find out about the residency, to announce my arrival and find out where to go, where I was shocked to find out that I was in Woody Point – not Rocky Harbour – glad that I was mistaken about that. The turn off down 431 to Bonne Bay relating how I hated this road for its length but was glad it took so long to get to the end, how I now looked for the barachois of Glenburnie, how it seemed to take forever to make it to Lomond – never went to a dance there, looked for the places that Irving and Crystal showed me, the B&B in glenburnie, tried to see if Lou and Maisie were in, Kris, George Brake and the Roses, that I had not photographed Bailey’s Point. Wondered if Darlene was back up in Roddickton, passed Elaine’s Crystal at the Hunky Dory. The lookout over Woody Point was empty.
All these little events would be a memory in hours.
We went for a coffee noting the new shortened hours on the door starting the day I hit the mainland. Fred came in so I said good-bye to him once more, he sat and volunteered the time I would have to leave Bonne Bay for the ferry, went to buy phone cards at Pete’s he was out, headed over to the liquor store. Ina said that she would see me soon and gave me a hug. Joked with Crystal Blanchard a bit while having my herbal tea.
Headed over to Paul and Amanda’s to see their house and have a Cohr’s light all this being so normal that I felt that the separation would be like the one heading to the Avalon not three time zones away.
Dropped Earle off at her place and said good-bye and headed down to the Seabreeze hoping that Owen was still there with his car as I wanted to photograph him with it. He was leaving/stumbling as I arrived and managed to use a good roll of film on him his friend and the car. Someone was driving him back to Trout River.
Up to the Discovery Centre to buy t-shirts for people, the clerk said that I had been there a while and had hoped that I had liked my residency. Was shocked that she knew that I was the artist in residence, she said, however, that she had seen me around.
Went down in a fit of vanity to look at the wall of photographs that were up one last time, chatted with Jessica, told her about the wedding, the best man being her beau, was invited for tea but it was already past the time that I should be heading out.
Next time. Would she be there next summer?
‘hope so’
‘so see you then.’
mentioned that I took a half deaf bar keep with looks that kill to the wedding and headed off seeing the announcment for Kendra’s show at the Seabreeze on the official hoarding for the park.
Back into town to say good-bye to Elaine who was now mowing and not making any crack about getting a salad ready for my supper. Made a final loop running into Deb and Viola then out to the highway, Deer Lake, Corner Brook and the ferry, thinking of Shirley and Brud when I saw the sign for Cox’s Cove.
Was too conservative in my timing arrived in Port aux Basques with three hours to spare – it seems that I do drive as if I were selling Cohr’s light and Canadians – three hours total driving time even with a few stops to make snaps. Had a pizza slowly then drove around the town then went to take my place in the queue.
Went through quarantine checked my machine for food stuffs and dirt, the car in front of me was being pressure washed thought that I would have to go thought he same thing but was waved through. Parked the machine and went into the building to find an outlet to catch up on the entries. Instead found wireless internet access so emailed and tried to write as much as possible before heading to the ferry where although I would still have internet access had to try to sleep so that I could hit the mainland running.
The call came return to our cars and get ready for boarding. While parking saw Klunder and his brood leaving their machine to climb the stairs looked for them briefly. All the good seat were taken so picked an aisle one in the same area that I came to the island in but not before I wandered around in a daze, went on deck to look one last time at the rock but didn’t really want to see it diminish – it could have been the want to sleep. Didn’t want the entertainment rooms – big screen videos or gaming machines chose my seat until the person behind me took off his shoes and had his foot come on my side of the chair where I moved up a seat to now see the bright Windows PC screen of someone who would play solitaire the entire trip.
Didn’t feel like seeing Nova Scotia appear on the horizon – just wanted to turn back.
