Week Three

AHHH Yes, the tour continues.

This week we had quite the adventure traveling across the province.
Our first stop was spending two days in Kelvington. Before I begin, I have to tell you all that, as the tour manager, it is my job to organize and co-ordinate places to stay, routes taken, and travel times, etc. The admin part of my job is done partially before the tour begins, and partially on the road. So arriving in Kelvington Sunday night, at our prearranged B&B about 15 min outside town, I was eager to settle in after a long drive, and get to playing cards with my fellow artists and friends. We were greeted by a very friendly dog. From the dark prairie night a truck, from what looked like the main house, came driving up. I will call him Jeb, because I never did catch his name. Jeb crawled out of his beat up farm truck, and just stood there silently with his lights on me. I have a habit of being the first person to break the ice in most conversations, because I have never understood awkwardness in common interaction. So, as I approached and said, with my hand extended, "Good evening, I'm Leon from the Cultural exchange..." , he didn't move. Now, I am one to pick up on body language, and most people have a vibration I can read. Jeb's was hostile. I further said we were "here for the B&B". That's when I noticed the gun. I have never had a gun-to-artist conversation before. I don't know what he thought, our van clearly states 'Art For Everyone', so he must have known he was invited. Perhaps if Michelle could have jumped out of the van, leading us in a perfectly synchronized rendition of Michael Jackson's Thriller, he would have joined in. I then heard the first mumbles from Jeb, something about "not knowin anythin bout it", and "whod ya talk ta". I was concentrating on his gun, and his overly friendly dog. I mentioned his wife's name, and his demeanor changed from hostile, to confused and frustrated. He put the gun away in his truck, and told me to follow him into the house. I learned later, that my friends in the van were wondering if I was being killed, and they were trying to decide who would go in the house, and retrieve the van keys. Jeb showed me around the B&B, and told me that because his wife hadn't cleaned the place, and prepared it for us, that it was not available. I tried to suggest a few linens, and if he could do the dishes we would be fine. I explained the money we were ready to part with, but because his wife was not there it was impossible. I saw he had arms, and a basic understanding of what was missing in his B&B for us to use. He did have a penis though, and maybe that is what stopped him. I always try. Even with strange, uneven farmers, I always try. So we were without a place to stay in rural Kelvington at 8pm on a Sunday night.

I explained to the team what happened and we would try our best back in town. Driving back into Kelvington, I was thinking about all the little big towns I kind-of-know in the area of Kelvington. There really is not very many. Our fortune was with us when we drove into the roadside motel, on the opposite side of town. The owner was able to get us our own rooms, and for the two nights we needed. Kelly was especially segregated from the rest of us for reasons only Kelly knows, but for the most part our little taxidermy mottled motel was perfect. Oh, and as for the workshops, the kids thought we were awesome.

Langham school is just outside of Saskatoon. With a quick jaunt we were there. The staff were easy to talk with, and the students, though "rangy" as Ann likes to say, were good. The community just had a incident of molestation occur, and although charges were laid the wounds were still fresh. There is a lot of this going on, and the more people I meet, the more stories I hear. Perhaps, some of the fundamental Christian groups I met along the way, could put their energy into stopping this kind of behaviour, rather than trying to prevent Halloween. Ninja Turtles vs Molestation. Just a thought.

Balgonie was awesome. The ages and participants were a great, and the staff was cool and collected. I am glad to see some diversity in these schools. In my years doing this tour some of these bedroom communities can get a little bleached. There were some great ideas floating around that school. I felt we just added to their programs, and were able to share some ideas with staff. It was a real exchange.

Finally there was Punnichy, about an hour north east of Regina. I drive pretty quick. This is first school anywhere that I have visited, that says dinner instead of lunch. I will explain. When asking about a pre-arranged, pot-luck lunch the staff said, "oh yes! We will have dinner for you in the staff room". I said, "sorry?" She said, "Dinner is in the staff room". I happen to have a published writer in my motley crew of artists, and she happened be the author of 'The Saskatchewan Book Of Everything' which does document this phenomenon. I have never heard of this before. Neither had the rest of my team, with the exception of Kelly. I said with great enthusiasm, "Oh! You say dinner instead of lunch! That is awesome, what do you say for dinner?...I mean supper?" Supper, one of them said, dryly. They are very serious in Punnichy. I apologized immediately, and explained I was not making fun, but I had never heard anyone use dinner in place of lunch. They said that they have always heard it that way. Maybe that's where the word 'Diner' comes from. As in, I'm going to have lunch at the Diner. Anyway, we rounded off our week there with some great teachers, and smart students.

Thanks Punnichy. Hope to see you for dinner again.