Day: July 3, 2015

July 3, 1917

I’m planning to leave this Sunday. At Winnie’s urging I needed to settle my accounts with Shannon this week. We had agreed on rates back in April and by mid-July I would be getting about $100 on my loan. Since I was going to leave a week earlier than I had planned I thought it fair just to ask for $100 and not worry about the week. I had $13 in cash and $37 in the bank. So the total sum I had was $150, about a year’s worth of savings,after living expenses, for a worker. If I was frugal, I could easily live on this amount for a year, even supporting a wife and child. I recall Lismer saying that when he came to Canada, he only had enough for his fare and $5 left over. He quickly found a job, bought a suit on credit and he was on his way to being established in the New World. I was feeling good about the whole situation until I talked to Shannon.

“Tom, things have changed since we talked last April. I’m afraid the rate’s has gone up to $2 per day.” I was dumbfounded. A quick calculation revealed that by Shannon’s new terms, instead of receiving $100, I’d be owing Shannon $12.

“Shannon, that wasn’t the deal we made back in April,” I tried not to show my exasperation.

“Sorry Tom, those are the new terms. You can’t exactly leave it, so you’ll have to take it.” Shannon shrugged. I’m pretty sure he knew exactly the situation I was in, and I wasn’t in a position to bargain.

“Shannon, I need the loan settled. I’m planning to leave for out west mid-July.” I lied, I was going to leave a week earlier. I wanted to be out of the country before the bloodhounds got onto our track.

“Okay, Tom. I’ll cut you a deal. I’ll settle for $25 and get the money to you next week.”

I hated dealing with money, “Shannon, can you get it for me on Sunday?”

“I’l try, Tom. Cash is short around here.”

I felt betrayed. I don’t care that much about the money. It was the going back on the deal we had made in the spring. But I hate conflicts too. I was never that good at dealing with my own financial affairs – not that I was incompetent. I just didn’t care that much. My older brother George managed my affairs when I was out West, and back in Toronto, Lawren Harris and Dr. MacCallum did it for me. I know the man of the household is supposed to take care of these things, but I fully expect Winnie to manage our accounts. She’s trained in such things and I believe that is the success of our relationship. She worries about the numbers and I worry about the art. And we meet in the middle with fishing. I can’t think of a better arrangement with a woman than what I’ll have with Winnie.

After that episode with Shannon, all I could think about was fishing at Joe Lake Dam. I got my gear and went out back through the summer kitchen. Annie was in the kitchen making strawberry pies. The strawberries are ready, and Mildred had gone out in the morning and picked a few pints.

“Tom, you going out fishing?” Annie asked.

“Yes, Annie,” I replied.

“Well say hi to Annie Colson while you’re up there, ” Annie said. “Please tell her I’ll be needing some baking supplies: sugar, baking powder, flour and some molasses. I’ll send Shannon to pick them up when the next train comes in.”

There was no reason for Annie to tell me this detail. The only reason I could fathom is that she sensed the tension and the only way to cut it was to talk about something mundane and trivial. That was such a Victorian way of dealing with personal crises. Much like a sergeant serving tea to a soldier shot in the stomach. Medically, it was the worst thing you could do, but the act of courtesy was really a shrouded act of denial awaiting the inevitable outcome. Annie realized I would be leaving soon. Unlike an anonymous and impersonal enemy bullet, the results of her actions (inappropriate, I might add) were driving an inevitable outcome.

I spent the afternoon at Joe Lake and caught nothing. Mark Robinson dropped by and watched me for a while. Mark’s son, Jack also came along and I showed him a few casts and how to tie a lure. I talked about the “Big Trout” I was trying to catch. I told him that “Big Trout” was starting to get the reputation that he was smarter than the local artist. We fished for a while longer and from where we were fishing we could see the berm by the Shelter House. I told Mark that if the berm prevented either of his daughters from rolling into the lake then I had truly served my purpose here in the Park.