Crack dealers & Corporations

Excuse me, dear reader, for not updating my blog in a while. A few things have been happening both personally and emotionally.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I signed up with a temp agency to find some office work which would give me both better hours and better pay. Well, that was a very successful venture. Only 4 days after signing up (on a monday), I received a phone call (on thursday) between shifts at Craft that an oil and gas company, Enbridge Inc, was in need of an administrative assistant. The hours would be 8 to 5, $21 an hour (a pay rise of $8 an hour) and for 3 months. The catch was I would need to start the very next day, a friday. I thought that last part was odd but I said yes, I'll take it as I had been at Craft less than 3 months so I wouldn't need to give any notice of my departure. I went into work that evening and gave the news to the managing Chef, the managers that were on duty, and to the Executive Chef, Paul, who hired me. By and large, everyone was happy for me and understanding that it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

The Exectutive Chef, however, thought differently. When I started my last shift, he was off duty, having a couple of beers at the bar. I approached him to give him the news; he quickly noted that he had "heard" and wasn't interested in discussing my resignation being that he was off duty. He only noted that I had "really screwed him around". I tried to make the point that if I declined this opportunity and didn't start immediately, I would have lost that very opportunity. Again, he replied that he wasn't interested. This is coming from a so-called professional, who has featured on local television and participated in local public panels, reviewing food sustainability in Calgary, and in Alberta itself. On the contrary, I thought his conduct was incredibly immature and not fit for a managing chef. Either way, that would be my last shift at Craft and I did my best to ignore his immaturity.

(As a side note, the David of 18 or 19 years of age would have been disgusted that I was going to work for a multi-national corporation. Back then I was still finding my feet politically, and would have been abhorred that I was even thinking about involving myself with a corporation. My principles at the time were only barely being formed, but a harsh anti-business stance was part of my thinking. Not based in any sense of reality of course, but one must have ideals at that age, right? Well ideals are important at any age.)

So, I would start at Enbridge, with normal working hours and a wage that would afford me to save some money and take weekend trips to the surrounding areas. Bloody brilliant.

At the same time, it was more than overdue for me to find my own place and move out of \Laurel's home. I had been there for 3 months and it was very much time to move on. I had been there too long - It made it harder for me to find additional accommodation as there aren't many places that will take a tenant for less than 6 months and It was time for me to be self sufficient and ensure that I didn't outstay my welcome. Laurel and her parents were incredibly warm to me and the fact that their house felt like home was something I will always be grateful for. If these very kind people hadn't opened their home to me, I probably would have gone home in December last year as I was still struggling to find work. Again, thankyou Laurel, Tim & Donna.

That last week at the Hagel/Sherwood household was stressful looking for accommodation (even if that stress was shortly placated by the arrival of Laurel's twin brothers, Thomas and Rob who are incredibly interesting and funny), but I did find a place to live. A young lady was looking for a roommate to share her inner-city suburb house, either long term or short term. We got on well immediately over the phone, and once I checked the (nice) house out, I paid a deposit to become a short term room mate. This took a huge load of my shoulders, but I would not be able to move in until April the 20th. Earlier, at Craft, one of the Chefs mused that I could stay with him if I fell into trouble and couldn't find a place to live. I very much kept this in mind. I spoke to him after finding a new place and mentioned that laspe between moving out of Laurel's and into the new place. He was very welcoming in letting me stay with him for a few weeks. He noted that he had a one bedroom basement suite but that he had two beds and would give me his. Better than staying a hotel for $600 a week right?

At about this time I was really getting a wanderlust - life consisted of  merely working, drinking and sleeping and as a result of getting in such a rut, my mind drifted to home. My family. My friends. Reading The Australian and drinking proper bloody coffee. (Seriously, it's hard to get a proper espresso coffee that doesn't require a bank loan to pay for. Canada, brewed coffee is SHIT!). So I decided that would do a few weekend trips to ammeloriate such feelings. I would go back to Canmore (which I visited brefily with Laurel, her sister Kori and her boyfriend, Clint) and possibly even Banff. Canmore is at the feet of the Canadian rockies and Banff is a little further in.

Well, I've posted quite a few photos on facebook of my trip to Canmore, which consisted of Hiking, drinking with random people at the local pub and dogsledding. (For those of you not on facebook, I will email some photos post haste). I have no desire to add anything else here about my trip other than I had a massive smile on my face the whole time. Oh and that I got lost hiking in Canmore, before being shown the way by a lovely couple who could see I was lost. And more importantly, being stranded by an avalanche up at the Sprey lakes whilst dogsledding - The instructors told us we would be stuck for a few hours as the main access road had been closed. I would miss my bus back to Calgary, but as has been the theme of this entire trip, generous Canadians came to the rescue. A very kind fellow was driving back to Calgary once we had finished dogsledding and arrived back in Canmore - and he offered to give me a lift! Canada, take a bow. Never have exprienced such kindness.
 The trip to Banff wasn't as good as there were way more tourists but the scenery was still amazing and like nothing I've seen before.




So, I was sharing with the chef. In a cramped, filthy basement suit. I kept telling myself, it's only a for a few weeks but his smoking inside and the fact that I did all the cleaning (of this dirty suite) began to grate. I hated coming home from work; and to top it off, it was eventually revealed, he was a crack dealer. Yes, crack cocaine. The main door to the house had a broken lock and he had no key to get in to the basement - both of us would have to get in through the window. Then he started ringing me on a week night, as to whether various people had come looking for him, to score. That was enough for me. I kept my luggage locked up at all times as my instinct told me that things weren't safe but when I learnt that latter fact, it was time to get out. I'm now staying at a cheap hotel for the week until I move into my new (normal!) place next saturday.

Those couple of weekend trips really did lift my spirits as I got to explore real Canadian country side. And all things considered I'm feeling pretty good. It looks like my contract at work will be extended to August, so I'll be able to save more money and of course, see all of the Stampede (google it). It's about time things started falling my way - from the stress of finding a job and getting a place to live, I'm finally in a position to prolong my stay in Canada and see some of this beautiful country.

I'll leave you with one last thing - a beautiful song which added to my pleasure when Hiking in Canmore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcl1PCaxFFw

Cheers