Back in September 2013, a well-planned chartered bus trip for the Riverview Senior Social Club deep into Northern Ontario went off the rails and without any hint of warning until reaching their hotel that evening.
Forty men and woman had been anticipating this Sault Ste. Marie excursion for weeks and bedding down at the Holiday Inn there for two nights. The first day was mostly travel, 11-hours to the Soo made bearable by coffee and lunch breaks but mostly by our favourite entertainer CW. She told jokes, many unfit for the ears of an innocent bus driver, played music from the fifties on YouTube that kept the seniors swooning and toe-tapping. A few ladies wiggled down the aisle to the rhythm with only some modesty.
The Soo was reached on schedule, despite a gaping sinkhole on Highway 17 at Iron Bridge, necessitating a detour. Next dinner at Giovanni’s (the culinary craft learned in Italy) and afterwards to the Holiday Inn Express for breaking news of the horrific shock .
The next day (Wednesday) was booked for a 10-hour train ride north to explore Agawa Canyon over a billion years old, unseen by any of us and unknown by most. Before even reaching the front desk, the cancellation of the train to the canyon due to a flash flood the previous night spread like wildfire. Coordinator IO who had fair skin, turned so pale that her face was barely visible.
What next? Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the group decided on a meeting the next morning to reschedule the schedule. At 9 am they all met in the banquet room with heavy hearts, sagging jowls and bearing some bitterness about the immobilized train.
They could head straight for home that morning or stay for the second night in the hotel as originally planned. The majority voted to stand pat then I suggested a third option: take the bus today to Sudbury (half-way) stay overnight there and return home the next day. No one else agreed. I insisted on a recount but it was rejected. This caused me being teased for most of the day, almost bordering on persecution.
The hotel manager dismayed over our dilemma reserved the hall for us for the full day. He came up with a list of local events in the city and there were many. Our club studied the options and chose a couple of agendas. The Bushplane Heritage Centre was popular as was the Art Gallery of Algoma and other attractions.
The evening thrill was the OLG Casino where cash slipped through fingers like water. On the slot machines a few women managed to stay in the black but none of the men. These mechanized cash grabbers were Boss.
Meanwhile back at the banquet room, avid card plyers stayed rooted until the wee hours afraid they might miss a trick or not catch someone dealing from the bottom of the deck.
The pressure on me didn’t lessen and I was fed up with being called ‘Nickel Head’ and ‘Sudbury Sam.’ I made a clandestine plan with Gerard the bus driver to let me exit before reaching the designated coffee stop in Sudbury. He was to inform the passengers that, “Bob felt so rejected he was staying behind because of it.” At the supposed point of departure I left the bus with my small carry-on bag and its meagre possessions, heading to a group of stores in the distance.
Something was wrong. The bus didn’t leave that spot, passing up green light after green light. Then PC was designated to talk me into returning was now approaching him. He said, “Everyone is worried and wants you to return. Your sister was crying and even KB wants you back.”
PC said, “Appear like you’re resisting me.” I said, “I am resisting you.”
Finally with enough persuasion, I faked him dragging me back. Once on the bus I was presented with a Pluckers tee-shirt the coordinator had nested away.
Gerard explained later that he got mixed up and stopped too soon. He said, “I couldn’t go ahead or Bob would still be wandering around that god-forsaken city.” As it ended up, I was happy to being part of the gang again.
Finally we arrived in Westmeath. In fairness, unable to see Agawa Canyon, we all overcame it, bonded together even more and acquired memories that will not be forgotten.
