Loon Lake Laurie
It was freight day Friday, July 22, 1983, our friend and customer Robert was on his annual vacation, it had become tradition, he would assist in the weekly trip to town to retrieve the goods for the store and perhaps stop in for a little refreshment and a step or two around the dance floor at the local establishment; he always went to town with moccasins on. On this occasion, our new neighbour Laurie had expressed an interest in making the trip with us and would be glad to transport us in his new red & white Dodge club cab 4x4. The offer was accepted and we headed off over the dusty trail knowing we would be feeling parched before arriving in town. We loaded the truck, took care of all other business and then headed for a cool one, which led to two. Quarters were loaded into the jukebox and Robert was out to burn a moccasin. By the time the quarters ran out, the dance floor had been shined up and several more cool ones had washed the dust from our throats. We took our leave and once again headed west over the dusty trail. Part way back the conversation came to Laurie’s truck, was it capable of going home on the Worthington Lake trail? Laurie assured us the Worthington Lake trail was no challenge for his new Dodge. I gave directions and we passed up several homesteads in the Saskatoon Settlement, where people fearlessly attempted to carve some semblance of a living during the Depression on nothing more than a rock pile. The trail led us into the bush where the trees closed in on us, the grass was high and you could barely see the two tracks which years before would have been the wagon trail. Progressing along the trail the truck seemed to be doing just fine, the 4x4 appeared to be meeting the challenge laid out before it, we were impressed. As most seasoned bush travellers know there always seems to be a point of no return. We hit that point. I recall a very short discussion as to the probability of us successfully traversing a narrow creek which was now in front of us. I am not sure the Dodge even took us halfway across, the ground just opened up allowing the frame to rest on the grass the ground just opened up allowing the frame to rest on the grass and the four wheels to spin freely, we were going knowwhere fast, I am not sure it mattered we were happy in our small world, perhaps we looked like the three stooges. We all got out to asecess the predicament we were in and suddenly we were under attack, every mosquito from a forty mile radius descended upon us, Laurie & Robert retreated into the truck attempting to avoid the blood bath, because I new the way it was decided I should walk out for help. I made my way along the trail coming out onto highway 21, I managed to catch a ride with a local resident whose vehicle was already full beyond capacity, they dropped me at the lake, I could see my wife standing on the deck of the store, I must have attempted to head for the back door and missed seeing the rope across the lawn, I picked myself up still trying to be cool, pounding out our hard luck story, not really wanting to engage in a lengthy conversation, knowing very well she was not a happy camper, saying I had to get the tractor to extract the truck from it present location. The tractor was a 44 Massey which you had to use a crank to start,I managed to check the fuel, crank it up, throw on a chain and head back to the bush, when I got to the truck all I could see ware orange cans of Off insect repellant on the dash, while I was gone the boys found a case of repellant in the freight with which they managed to fight off the mosquito attack.The 44 Massey did the job pulling the truck across the creek there were no more surprises and we made our way back to the house. Both Robert’s wife and mine were there to greet us, greet may be the wrong word, I took a dressing down one side of me and up the other from Roberts wife, how could we be off like that when my wife was only days away from giving birth, leaving her in the store alone, what were we thinking. I don't really think we said to much we just took what was coming that was 24 years ago we are still married to the same women, perhaps they know some traditions never die. Boys will be boys. |
