I hated my small town. In high school I used to drive to Ottawa on the weekends to see my girlfriend or to party with some Nepean lads. Or I'd drive to Kingston when French was going to college. I don't hate my town anymore.
The only guy that never left Smiths Falls was Pancake. On Thanksgiving weekend he drove me around to see some of the other guys that were home to see their parents. He still drives the Honda Civic that he had in high school. It has over 250 000 kilometres on it. Pancake doesn't know exactly because the odometere doesn't roll anymore.
We had to drive a bit outta town to see Sweaty - we were meeting him at his in laws. Pancake reached under his seat and pulled out a battered blue CD case. It was the Tragically Hip's first album. He said most of the songs still work; despite the scratches. Like his car, this was the same CD he'd owned for over 20 years. I was surprised to see it in a case. He also still had about 10 more CDs tucked in his sun visor; all of them were familiar from the old days: Def Leppard, Van Halen, Blue Rodeo, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, two more from the Hip, Johnny Cash and Stompin' Tom Connors.
We listened to Last American Exit and then Small Town Bringdown. We sang every word. I started to think about how soulless my city is, and the community I left behind. Just a burst of nostalgia? Temporary? In the meantime I'll listen to Gord Downie's rock n' roll warble.
17 comments:
Nothing like the feeling you get when you prodigally return. Burst of nostalgia? Surely. A transient temporality? Absolutely. But its also nice to feel like a top ten kingpin in the borders of your Hometown.
That's a damn fine CD collection right there. Don't see the need for anything more really.
if you ever drive your way home, you'll pass through my old town -- Blind River. the stoplight might catch ya.
nice...sounds like a great collection...and if it stirs the heart for the old city...so be it
I love that you redeemed Pancake - anyone from a small town knows this tale of "seeing" that you tell so well. Thanks.
I went back to my hometown church yesterday for a funeral. It brought back a lot of memories. I still live close to it but have chosen another church to work with. I still love the people there though; it was good feeling the love from them too.
Oh it is not easy to return to the past when one has finally navigated the hill...
Every time I come by your place, I marvel at your skill for writing pictures while telling a story...no small trick!
Becky at abbeystyle.blogspot.com
There is nothing like home...
okay, how come i didn't know you grew up in ontario? me too. small towns all across ontario, and i'm pretty sure they all seem soulless until you dig deep and find people like yourself, sweaty, pancake, fish and rose. then you find they're the greatest soul mines around.
i dont' know, ollie. this is all so familiar. i'm not sure what it is, how these towns lack souls, or seem to.
this might be my own soundtrack except for the fact that i left almost everyone behind, as well.
there is something undefinable and - what? - good? in your friend and how he lives. is this right, or is it just nostalgia for me, hoping there is something valuable always in the past?
xo
erin
Wow this brings back memories. I think I've ridden in a car almost exactly like that and I've certainly listened to that Hip CD far too many times. It's made the journey from cassette to CD to mp3. Great piece of memory yanking words.
glad it was in-laws not out-laws... sad to see things change or not... I'm hoping 20 years have made me look a little more like Christ... thanks for sharing the memories with us.
All favorite bands and songs. I recall those Nepean nights. We were werewolves baby.
Oops! I left a comment with info on my cousin and I don't think she'd want me to give that out, so if you want to e-mail me here, I'd like to see if you know her.
poetikat46@yahoo.ca
I don't generally read much prose ... or write it for that matter, but to is as if I needed to read this piece after ... right after reading your "City" poem. I was right, I like both very much.
Post a Comment