Vancouver I - the forest of whispering speakers (1915)

I could see them all around, up on the floors overlooking the open area where I was being called to the bar. Two provinces down! Or maybe I could just see them in my mind's eye, or maybe out of the corner of my eye because my blood-sugar was low and I'm just funny that way..

As the oath was read out I could see old Slim standing there, arms folded on his chest, soft eyes, with hardness underneath. Or the other way around..
My grandfather. There were others too, 'oh yes - there were others, there were Admirals".. sorry, JFK quoting.
But there were others, in these magical times. Who speaks to you in your greatest moments? Christ, the Buddha, Lao Tse? Archangel Micheal, with the flaming sword, in the east of Eden? Your 'guardian angel', your Dad?

My grandfather was known as the 'Enforcer of Herring Cove.' He used to beat up creeps and hells-angel-types. Tough act to follow.
But in coming out here I have followed in his footsteps, for in 1924, as I think I've mentioned before, he was here, living on the streets of Vancouver. After going to war in 1915, at 15 years old, and coming back in 1918, he went out west - for years. He worked the railroad, and was a take-all-comers-bare-knuckle-boxer, and we, or at least I, don't know much about what else he did in those years. Did he love someone? Did he lose any fights? Did he wish he'd stayed? But we do know, from a post-card, that in 1924 he was hanging around the streets of this city. I don't blame him.

How do you take a child soldier and put them back in society? He knew better - he needed years, I'm sure, to blow off steam, and just stare off into space as much as he felt like. Who knows, hell, maybe also like me - he just liked (likes) to wander around. It is really nice, if that's your thing.

The Forest was whispering ( and he was just standing, smiling), "go - get your passion out, live, breath, die, fight, love, if you want to be part of things - this is the path for you" they, the dead, the angels, were saying also, and this is for everyone - "if you want to be on the side of light, it's 1915 (or 39), you are needed now."

I'll pass the rest of the message on for them: make people laugh or feel loved, teach, speak out for truth, justice, freedom, equality, do it from Love, bring light to this world in whatever way you have within you - this is your chance, this is your time. You are needed now.

In love,
EK