Welcome to Canada (eBook)

Chapter 1: The Beginning

“If I could travel the world, I would start it by visiting my hometown.”

-Pratik M Sodde

Home is where people feel the safest, the most loved, and the most protected. It is a place we are not only used to but also tend to develop a specific familiarity with because we are so habitual in spending our time there. It is a place from which we leave each morning and to which we return at the end of the day. Now, obviously, our homeland is also our home in a way, and its sole purpose is to provide security, identity, privacy, and a sense of control and belonging. Despite these being some essential things that your homeland is supposed to provide you, that is not always the case.

I was born in the city of St. Thomas in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Because of its history, St. Thomas can be considered a rough town. Before getting into the gritty details, let me first discuss its history.

The city of St. Thomas is located at the intersection of two historical roads, and the first settlers in the city date back to the year 1810. It became a village in 1852. From then on, developmental programs were carried out in the village, and later, in 1861, it developed enough to be incorporated as a town. After 20 years, in 1881, it was finally incorporated as a city on the country’s map. The city was named after Canadian soldier and colonial administrator Thomas Talbot, who significantly contributed to the city’s development in the early 19th century.

From the late 19th to the early 20th century, several railways were constructed throughout the city, making St. Thomas a crucial railway junction.

During that time, St. Thomas was expanding because of the railway. The tracks were the main reason why the military built the biggest airbase in Canada around that area for training for the war. The base was in a small area outside of a town called Fingal, which is very close to St. Thomas. The military was taking over St. Thomas, and there were houses in the town being built belonging to normal military families. Then came the mansions that were built for the upper class and elite. These houses made St. Thomas almost double in size and made the city what it is today.

After the first railway track was completed in 1856, 26 more railway tracks were constructed throughout the city. By 1914, eight different railways operated in St. Thomas, earning it the title of “Railway Capital of Canada.” Time passed, and with it came a decline in the use of the railway as a mode of transportation. So, between the 1950s and the 1960s, several other transportation industries were introduced, which further helped develop the city. In 1944, it was named the seat of the new Elgin County.

Besides its railroad history, some infamous incidents also occurred in St. Thomas, namely, the death of Jumbo - The Circus Elephant. I grew up on 115 Manitoba Street, which was a few blocks away from where Jumbo - The Elephant was killed.

Jumbo was an African bush elephant born in Sudan in 1861. Soon after birth, Jumbo was moved to a zoo in Paris and then transferred to London Zoo, England, in 1865. In the early ‘80s, despite heavy public protest, Jumbo was sold to P.T. Barnum of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and began his life as a circus elephant.

The thing that made this city my favourite place in the world was that St. Thomas served as my home, as the best time of my life, my childhood, was spent there. My life was very eventful while living in St. Thomas. Some days turned out to be happy and full of joy, and remembering them brings peace to my heart and is imprinted in my mind forever. That is how the memories of the happy days remain present in my heart and spirit, and that is how I remember the carefree days when I had no idea of just how dangerous of a place I lived in or how wild it was out there, just a little way away from my oh-so-happy world.

Growing up, I had a bittersweet life; I witnessed many ups and downs, but all in all, it was a good experience. I have many interesting stories to share, which I will do in the later chapters. However, for now, let me introduce my parents and share how they met and ended up getting married, as it is one hell of a story.

My father, Raymond Alexander French, had a rough childhood growing up. He was an orphan who lived his life without the supervision of a full-time guardian. Since he was left unattended most of the time, he tried to look for people in the outside world with whom he could associate emotionally. He would spend most of his time outside his home, making himself comfortable and exploring things independently, eventually becoming friends with some people who often rode bikes. They were famed for trailing throughout the roads across the country, and my father loved the experience as it made him feel like a free man.

As for my mother, she grew up on a rural island in New Brunswick, off of St. John River. She was born in an abusive household with an absent father and a single mother who made her leave school in grade eight to help her survive. My grandmother worked at a retirement home called Shadow Lawn, which exclusively catered to the elite class. It was part of the resort owned by the Flemming family, as Mr. Flemming was considered the protégé of the Canadian businessman, K. C. Irving. At that time, K. C. Irving owned the biggest oil production in Canada.

Working at that retirement home, my mother looked after the parents of the Canadian elite, such as politicians and business owners. Famous Hollywood actor James Stewart’s mother was one of my mother’s clients.

How my father met my mother is an interesting story. My father, who was engaged at the time, was employed on a farm with a man. This man coincidently turned out to be my mother, Elizabeth Anne French’s brother. He was in Ontario for seasonal work when he met my father, who became his boss. Then, one day, my uncle asked my father for a ride to New Brunswick. My father agreed and took him to his destination, where he met my mother for the first time.

It was love at first sight. So, after returning home, my father broke up with his fiancé, went back to New Brunswick, and married my mother. It’s an interesting tale because my mother was so young at the time that she had to get her father to sign some papers before marrying her off. However, she hadn’t been in touch with him for a while. Luckily, she was successful in finding him, and that turned out to be the second time she ever met him. From there, my parents started their life together as a couple and had me afterwards.

My parents were the perfect epitome of the phrase “what is meant to be will be” because no matter how committed my parents were at the time, they both instantly felt a connection with one another and decided they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. They were the best example of how someone can fulfil their promise only if they are dedicated to their purpose. The way they supported one another through all the challenges they faced was truly an exceptional case and evidence of their commitment and devotion towards each other.

Coming back to my father, his passions led him to his best buddy, Tom Douglas. Tom’s family lived outside the town, in the countryside. Tom and my father’s shared passion – biking− introduced them to each other, but soon, this acquaintance turned into a close friendship. However, my father was riding bikes and racing cars way before he met Tom. They first met at Nick’s bike shop underneath the trestle on Sunset, and from that moment forward, Tom and my dad became best friends in no time. They shared a very close bond and were like brothers. Since the time I gained consciousness, I saw Tom visiting our home and occasionally staying with us.

Tom grew up with nine siblings in a shack near the Thames, and they were all beaten regularly by their old man. Perhaps that was the reason behind Tom’s drinking problem because the man never went anywhere without a cooler of beer. Whenever he and my dad got together, it was always a party, and I remember people were always dropping by just to drink.

Tom’s youngest son, Robbie, was my age and would always accompany his father whenever he paid us a visit. Robbie and I got along well and would play together for hours on our farm. Away from the worries of the world, I would enjoy my life to the fullest. Those were, undoubtedly, the best days of my life. Following in the footsteps of our fathers, Robbie and I soon became best friends.

Robbie had quite a complicated personality. He was a very smart kid. You could give him a multiplication question, and he could figure it out in his head faster than you could do it with a calculator. However, despite being a bright kid, when it came to school, he faced quite some trouble making it through. He wasn’t a kid who took his studies seriously and often got in trouble at school because he had a bad temperament, beating everyone he got angry with.

Tom, Robbie’s dad, was a passionate biker, and this passion had brought him close to my father in the first place. So, it also became one of my father’s favourite hobbies. My dad taught me...