I was silent not knowing what to say. One half of me worried about the welfare of the children, the other wanted to let Ronald do what he wished

Once we got settled into our new home in Edmonton, I allowed the boys out to play on the patch of plain grass in front of the house. The days were beginning to get cold but I wrapped them up well. At first I was worried they would run on the road but fortunately not many cars passed in the daytime. I noticed other children were allowed to play quite freely.

One day I questioned our landlady about the gardens. “Most people sure don’t bother with gardens too much,” she said. “I guess it’s because we’re all too busy with other things. It’s difficult to have a nice garden.

“Flowers are the darndest thing to grow because of the lack of water. You just about never see American beauty roses here although I suppose they would grow if someone paid enough attention to them.

“Anyway, those who do work in their gardens tend to concentrate on vegetables – something useful – good for the kids. Children are looked on as a useful crop in Alberta. We need people.”

Bundle of clothes

One afternoon several days after moving into the basement flat, a knock came at the door. I opened it to find a woman about my own age standing there with a large bundle of clothes in her arms.

“I see you have ze little childer,” she said in a strong German accent, “Zees clothes no longer feet my leetle ones, please to have them.”

Before I had time to thank her, she had gone. The rest of the afternoon was spent by the boys trying on all the things she had brought and quarrelling over who would get what. There were some useful garments for the baby also and as Mahri-Louise was growing fast, new clothes were essential.

Seeing the children in all their new togs I said to Ronald: “They’re beginning to look like real little Canadians now aren’t they?” Ronald agreed.

The gift from the German woman gave us a new surge of hope that everything was going to be all right. We needed this boost.

Things weren’t going well in the business of job hunting.

“There just isn’t anything,” Ronald had said the evening before after a third day’s unsuccessful hunting. “For all the jobs that are advertised, when you look into them, there is hardly a genuine offer among them.

“There’s one type of job I would like to try. There are quite a few vacancies, but anyone I happen to mention it to says it is far too risky. You get payed on a commission basis only.”

“What sort of job?” I asked although I felt I already knew. I had seen Ronald linger over some ads longer than others.

“Real estate,” he answered, “the buying and selling of houses and land.”

For once I was silent not knowing quite what to say. One half of me worried about the welfare of the children, the other wanted to let Ronald do what he wished.

Advice

After all, that was our main reason for coming to Canada. For the time being I hedged the issue.

“Do you remember brother-in-law Bill gave us the address of a lady in Edmonton? He said to be sure to go and see her. He told us what a helpful person she was. Perhaps she would be able to give us advice. I must have her name and address somewhere. I’ll have a look.”

Eventually I unearthed her address and Ronald said he would pay her a call the next day. He came back more dejected than ever. “Did you see Mrs Neville?” I asked. “She’s a pleasant person,” he said, “but Bill, when he told us about her, had forgotten about the passage of years. She’s old now and all she wants is peace. She doesn’t want strangers invading her privacy, although she was quite glad to see me and hear news of Bill.” “Did you ask her for her advice on jobs?” “Yes, but she wasn’t very helpful and had no real suggestions. She heard it was very difficult to get a job of any kind in the city.

“She also said not to touch real estate with a barge pole, or words to that effect!” Ronald gave a big sigh, “I think I’ll have the weekend off. Try again next week.”

Monday came and the job hunting started again. Ronald came home in the middle of the afternoon looking a bit brighter.

“I’ve come up with something,” he said. “A job in a grain mill – pretty low wages but perhaps we could just manage on them. It’s going to be very hard physical work, though, a lot of lifting of heavy bags.”

All of a sudden something clicked inside me. I’d made up my mind and I took the initiative. It wasn’t the low wages that prompted me.

We probably would have managed on what was offered – it was the mention of hard work and long hours that put me against it. I knew that Ronald wasn’t really able for it.

He still complained of that nagging pain in his chest and sometimes he looked very tired.

Determined

“You’re not taking it,” I said full of new resolution. “I don’t honestly think you are able to take that kind of work until you have had a good rest. Anyway, what did we come to Canada for but to take risks although not with your health. “Try the job you want to do – try real estate!” With this new determined backing, Ronald took up the newspaper again. Turning to the relevant page he went through the various adverts. There was one in particular he had had his eye on all week.

EMPIRE REAL ESTATE Wanted: a young aggressive man to take on the buying and selling of property outside the boundaries of Edmonton. Huge profits possible for the right man.

I glanced at the clock. It was 3.30. “There’s time yet,” I said, “before the offices close. Go and see what they have to offer.”

Ronald changed into the suit that he hadn’t worn since landing in Canada and ran up the knot in his silk tie. He arrived back about an hour later.

“I’ve got the job,” he announced. “I think I’ll like it. The manager is 29 years old, a few years younger than myself. I took an immediate liking to him.

“He’s full of wild dreams, but practical too. My job will be to take on all the buying and selling for the firm, outside the boundaries of Edmonton.” (More tomorrow.)