Brian Traxler:
CLASS OF 1969
Smiths Falls District Collegiate InstituteClass of 1969
Smiths falls, ON
York University - Vanier CollegeClass of 1972
Toronto, ON
St. Francis Xavier Elementary SchoolClass of 1960
Brockville, ON
Brian's Story
Chapter II: Bill Brebner once said to me,in his most condescending tone, "If at 18,you're not a Socialist,you're not thinking. If at 25,your still a Socialist,your not thinking! I don't think he was ever a Socialist.Come to think of it,I think he was a Monarchist. I wonder if the old queen is still alive anyway? I must ask Humphrey.He used to know all that kinda stuff. In August of 1969,I arrived in Toronto,all wide eyed,and scared shitless! Three years later,I dropped out of York University,and started looking for a job. I remembered someone telling me that Mr. Graves,(History), was working as a Parking Lot Attendant in Toronto. Apparently,he had taken the job so he'd have lots of time to read! I thought that was right up my alley! I found my parking lot job,and began to wade into my reading list from the year I'd just dropped out of! Sitting in that parking lot booth, I listened,as did so many,to the Russia-Canada hockey series,with the nervousness which became customary,even until today. Ilisten with great relish,to the announcer call the Henderson Goal! At that moment,all the cars on this busy,downtown stre...Expand for more
et,began to honk their horns,in unison! It had not occurred to me,that I was listening along with the entire country,to the same broadcast! That was a pivotal moment in my life,up to that point. I suddenly realized,that I was wasting valuable time. I was running out of Socialist fervour. I didn't want to accept Brebner's cynical insights,but I could feel my idealistic youth slipping away from me,as I cashed my paychecks,and squirrelled away my meagre earnings. Listening to the American propaganda machine,in 1972,it sounded like Cuba was a broken,decrepitshadow of its former self. The Soviet line on Cuba,was one of 100% literacy,and great optimism for the future. Even in the darkening shadow of the war monger to the North. I just wanted to find out for myself. What Che had brought to fruition,and Fidel had nurtured. And I want to tell Brebner,that as usual,he was full of s**t! Trudeau was going to Cuba for a vacation. Why couldn't I? Canadians were the only westerners in Cuba. All other holidayers were from Soviet Block countries. And,what the hell,I had grown a full beard since 1970! I'd fit right in! Maybe I'd stay!
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