The Serial: Far From the Rowan Tree Day 55

I tried not to grumble because I knew it was hard enough for Ronald having to wait, without telling him it was beginning to be hell in the car

The first difficulty was driving to our destination. In spite of Joe’s helpful advice and good directions, Ronald found problems.

It seemed a long time since we had driven along busy roads. Entering the city we were surprised to find just how rustic we had become. Also the road systems here were more advanced than back home.

We had never heard of spaghetti junctions. Here at the entrance to this far northern city, one sprouted its tubular strands. How Ronald coped I do not know.

The city of Edmonton, seen from the outskirts, appeared rather plain. We crossed the High Level Bridge and looked down into a chalk-coloured river. The streets were well organised, everything marked off in blocks, the streets running one way, the avenues another; nothing haphazard like back home.

Even so, for us newcomers, finding our way was difficult. Ronald did eventually find the parking lot Joe had advised us to use.

Ronald looked at his watch and noticed that already he was five minutes late for his appointment.

Amused

“Blast!” he said,” knowing the rate at which Canadians do things. I hope the man hasn’t come and gone,” and with those few words dashed off.

The day was, as usual, sunny with no vestige of yesterday’s snow anywhere. The boys, perched high on the back seat, had managed to twist round on their knees to peer out of the thin strip of back window and watch all the cars coming in and out of the parking lot.

This kept them amused for ages. After the first hour, however, they began to get bored and wanted to get out.

As this was a busy parking lot I couldn’t let them out on their own. If I had gone with them I would have had to carry Mahri-Louise as her fold-down pram was inaccessible.

I couldn’t leave her in the car not knowing what dangers might lurk in a strange city. If I took her my hands would be full and the cooped-up boys might take off in all directions, as they had done in Montreal station.

We played I Spy for a while but Ronnie was really too young to play this game and began to be naughty. Then I made up a story about three little boys who got lost.

This interested them for a while until they began to fight over something trivial. At long last Ronald appeared. He had been gone two hours.

“Well?” I questioned eagerly as he got into the car, “where are we going to this time?’’ “We’re not!” replied Ronald, “or at least, not yet!” “What do you mean,” I said, a sudden knot of worry numbing my brain.

Fractious

“Our so-called new employer hasn’t showed up yet,” explained Ronald. “They could give me little helpful information as to when he would arrive.

“I would still be sitting there but I explained to them about you and the children jammed into the car.

“Fat lot they care but they did let me out for a while, asking me to come back in an hour, saying he would almost certainly have appeared by that time.”

“He’ll probably come all right,” I said, worry subsiding. “In the meantime, perhaps we could take the boys to stretch their legs. They’ve been good but are getting restless.”

I tried not to grumble because I knew it was hard enough for Ronald having to hang around and wait, without telling him it was beginning to be hell in the car.

“Please Daddy take us out, please!” came an excited chorus from the back.

The car was hot. Because of this, Mahri-Louise, usually a docile baby, was fractious. The walk in the fresh air would do her good. Perhaps being held in my arms would rock her to sleep.

After being cooped up, the walk down Edmonton’s broad main street was Heaven. There weren’t all that many people walking about and those that were seemed in a hurry.

There were a few children about with their mothers. One woman passed us wheeling a pram. It looked odd. It had a round hood which reminded me of a covered wagon. Another woman passed quickly, carrying her baby completely wrapped in a shawl. Even the baby’s face was covered.

I got the impression that the mother thought it was dangerous to have a baby exposed to the air.

The boys, glad to be out, danced and skipped down the wide paved sidewalk. They were perfectly controllable with Ronald about.

We bought some books for them in a drugstore where we also had a snack – wieners in long soft rolls dripping with onions and tomato sauce; also Coke for the boys, coffee for Ronald and me.

When we got back Ronald noticed an empty space in the shade and shifted the car. He looked at his watch. It was time to go again.

“Perhaps I won’t be long this time,” he said. “Surely the farmer will be there by now.”

Difficult

The boys all waved to Dad out the back window then turned with interest to the books we had bought.

The minutes, the hours dragged on. The sun shifted round to stream into the car once more and soon we were all too hot again, even with all the windows open.

I would have shifted the car but there were no shady spaces vacant. Mahri-Louise was crying nonstop now.

At last I saw Ronald hurrying towards us. Relief flooded through me. To begin with I didn’t notice the serious expression on his face.

“He hasn’t come yet,” he said, “but still they say he won’t be long. They’ve let me out for a wee while, at my insistence. They just don’t seem to understand the position we’re in!”

Again I didn’t tell him just how difficult things were becoming but I couldn’t altogether hide it. He could see the situation for himself, hear the din they were all making.

We all got out of the car for a minute or two and then Ronald dashed off to get cans of 7up and packets of popcorn. He left saying very little this time. (More tomorrow.)