Maureen's Journey Home

by Ian Macdonald

  “Of course you couldn’t, Alya, neither could I. Here in the West we have different customs and practices and once you become accustomed to them it is almost impossible to go back to being little more than a housemaid and a baby factory.”

  “Exactly, Maureen, you understand perfectly, but my family is stuck in the past and they have not yet become accustomed to Western customs and its culture. Perhaps one day they might, but I don’t think so. Aunty Myna has, but she is the only one. She and I are very close. In fact she is planning to come and visit me by train soon. She has to be very careful about her travel plans. We don’t think they are watching her anymore, but we can’t take any chances.”

  “I can only imagine how awkward that must be for you both.”

  “Yes it is, but we both think it is worth it – one day I hope she can move out here with me. She is talking about it, but she can’t while my father is still alive. Still it’s something to wish for later on.”

  “You have kept the gardens looking nice, Alya.”

  “Yes it’s a sort of hobby now. I had very little to do in my spare time when I first arrived here and I loved having nice flowers around.”

  “Well you have done a wonderful job, Alya, the flowers look so pretty and they really do brighten up the whole frontage of the house. I think the real estate agents call it Curb Appeal.”

  “You are not thinking of selling are you, that’s not why you are here is it?” said Alya suddenly all concerned.

  “No Alya, of course not, I was just saying how lovely the place looks now. I am not thinking of selling this place at all, not in the foreseeable future anyway. I pretty much spent most of my childhood here and I have lots of memories. Helen and I go back a long way and we had lots of fun in this house. I know that I will have to sell it one day – but that day is a long way off Alya. Seeing how lovely it is now with you taking such good care of it will delay that day even more.”

  “I love it here, Maureen, I really do and as long as you want me as a tenant I’ll be staying here. This is my home now; I simply can’t imagine living anywhere else right now. Okay one day down the road I may have to move for one reason or another – but that day is way off in the future I think.”

  “Good, then this arrangement is ideal for both of us, Alya. Maybe your aunty Myna could move in with you one day down the road – she can certainly come for visits anyway.”

  “Oh Yes, that she can anytime, I’m really looking forward to her visit next month.”

  ***

  The following day, Maureen and Paul walked down to the wharf. It was all quiet now that the fishing industry had all but collapsed. The canning plant had shut down and that put many people out of work for some time. Some had gone out to Alberta to work in the oil fields and others had sought jobs in nearby towns as and when they could. In essence it was still pretty tough to make a decent living out there in Murdoch’s Cove, but the people were getting by despite that. They still had their community spirit and they were always there for each other in times of need. It was this that had drawn Maureen back for a visit – that and the magnetism of the sea. As they both now stood on the wharf with their arms around each other – all the memories of bygone days came flooding back. The smell of the dock and the newly landed fish she would never forget. It was a distinctive aroma indeed and not exactly a pleasant one either. However this was home, this was what she had grown up with and all her memories were here. As she gazed out across the bay to the harbour mouth she could imagine all the fishing boats setting off out to sea to bring home their next catch. Then they would all come back in and land their catch and the partying would begin that night.

  As she stood there thinking of all of this her tears began to fall. Not all of the memories were good ones. She remembered as if it were yesterday, the day that he husband’s boat came home without him. The skipper was the first off the boat that day. She knew right away that something was wrong; the skipper was never the first one off the boat. As he walked towards her to give her the bad news she could see that he was visibly upset. He gave her the news with tears in his eyes and the pair of them simply clung to each other in their grief. She could clearly remember his body trembling as he sobbed along with her. It was a sad day for them all. The whole village was in mourning for some time and his loss was felt by almost everyone. It reminded them all that, there but for The Grace of God, it could just as easily been one of their husbands and fathers. It was a risk of the job. They all knew it, but preferred to not think about such things, but the loss of Robert Hurst was a painful reminder of the harsh realities out there on the ocean.

  Paul just sensed why Maureen was weeping; he didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. He knew that Robert had been lost at sea and being back here on that same wharf where she first found out that she was now a widow would be painful to remember. He put his arm around her and drew her closer to him - and then held her close to his chest as she totally broke down and sobbed. Paul fully understood and he just let her cry it out and said nothing. There was nothing to be said at a time like that – just be there and be supportive. Memories like that are always etched in your mind and while you may not think of them too often, there are times that they emerge and let you know they are still there. This was one such occasion and Maureen’s reaction to it was to be expected and Paul knew this would be a painful reminder for her and he was prepared for it. Maureen was duly appreciative of his support and understanding too – but she knew he would be, that was just who he was.

  The harbour itself still had plenty of boats just floating at their moorings. They were just bobbing about at the whim of the tide’s ebb and flow. Some of them were now in pretty poor shape and in dire need of a paint job. The lack of prosperity in the area was fairly obvious to the casual observer. However, tourism had picked up in that last few years and as a result one or two people had now decided to move into the area upon their retirement. Several tourists were present on the wharf that day; all of them with cameras or smart phones taking pictures of the local scene and of course the occasional selfie. It really was a quaint place, or so the visitors thought, to the locals it was just home.

  The local merchants would be happy with that as it would allow them to remain in business. The stores on the main street were neat and tidy and were all well painted. The majority of them were still run by the same people that had run them for years and Maureen was well known to them. They did not, however, know about Maureen’s trauma in the forest. They knew all about what had happened out there and the atrocities that had taken place – but like everyone else, they had no idea who had been involved. They certainly had opinions on what should have happened to those evil men – none of which could be accepted or adopted by the judicial system – unfortunately. The man in the street however would have no problem with that at all.

  They had been out to dinner with Helen and Hamish to a local restaurant and Maureen had caught up on all the local news and gossip. Margot Burns’ current activities were not discussed. Maureen was not unduly worried about those and, had she been, any of the local store owners could have filled her in. Strictly off the record of course and on the understanding that anything that was said never came from them. To save them and herself potential grief, Maureen never enquired and they never volunteered any juicy gossip and speculation – which most of it would be. Still it livened up this this sleepy little village – what else could do that for them in Murdoch’s Cove. If the truth be known there were probably several women who were jealous of her too – their own sex lives being on the tame side to say the least. However in sleepy little fishing villages like this, one dare not admit to such shortcomings. Nobody wanted to be the subject of gossip or even worse “Pity”. Margot being the exception – she didn’t care what people thought and they all knew it – and respected her for it too. A regular humanitarian was Margot and she did a lot for those in need. That was the general consensus. Of course, exactly whose needs were being looked after an
d just how she took care of them was open for interpretation. Very few villagers would delve into that topic.

  ***

  Once they left Murdoch’s Cove they headed up to Chester and to Paul’s house. They checked into a motel rather than disrupt Martin and Violet. They had offered to accommodate them, but Paul had declined, but thanked them for their consideration all the same. They did however invite them for dinner one night and Violet was quite good in the kitchen it turned out. The meal she had prepared very few restaurateurs would have been ashamed of – it was delicious. Maureen and Paul certainly let her know it too, Maureen asking for the recipe. During the meal the conversation turned to local events and the subject of unemployment in the area and the results of it on the community in general. While Chester itself was not too bad, certain other areas were in poor shape. Kids were going to school with no food, wearing the same clothes for days at a time, weeks in some cases. The local schools had breakfast programs to feed the kids, but the need was far more pressing. The teachers were reporting that some of the kids were stuffing their pockets with food as they had younger brothers and sisters at home who were not yet in school and they too were hungry. It was heartbreaking to hear this and Paul and Maureen just sat there horrified. Poverty had always been present, probably always would be – but now for some reason it resonated with them. Martin was explaining how domestic violence had increased, burglaries had gone through the roof and kids were running away from home in droves.

  “It’s sad Paul, it really is. We try to turn a blind eye to the drunks and give them a break, but when they beat their wives we have to take them in. The men feel bad, their masculinity being called into question because they can’t look after their families and their wives and kids going without. They can’t find work of any kind locally and you know how prideful they are Paul. They are not accustomed to this and they just can’t handle it. As a result they become annoyed at everyone including themselves and lash out. Knowing you can’t buy you kid a birthday present or even give him breakfast is soul destroying for them.”

  “Yes I can well believe that, I didn’t realize it was so bad.”

  “Oh it’s there, Paul, we are just so used to ignoring it that it no longer registers with us. I never gave it a thought until I joined the police force. It’s heart breaking to visit some of the homes and see the struggles they are having. The food banks can’t keep up. Donations are not what they used to be either as everyone else has been affected by the recession too, and they have had to tighten their belts also. Not to the same extent of course, but adjustments have had to be made. They are good people Paul, I don’t need to tell you that – but circumstances are driving them to do crazy things. I have to uphold the law, but at times it hurts me to do so. I get no satisfaction running in a guy for shoplifting in a supermarket. He was just trying to feed his kids and this was his only option. The food banks can only do so much and they apply limits to how much you can have. The guy saw no other way. It really is tough out there for large numbers of people these days. We turn a blind eye to lots of things; it’s just how it is. These folks are not criminals by nature, they are driven by desperation. No I know that’s no excuse, Paul, but it’s’ just how it is here now.”

  “I hear you Martin, I do. Things have been going downhill for years. I know one or two call centers have been set up here – but they can’t employ everyone. Once the fishing industry collapsed it all started to fall apart. The military was an option for some, but not everyone. What we need out here is more industries. The problem being they need skilled people and these folks don’t have the required skills. They have other skills, but they are no longer needed are they?”

  “Exactly, Paul, and therein lies the problem. Sending them back to school to learn new skills is counterproductive when there are no opportunities for them when they graduate from those programs. Manufacturers won’t come if they can’t staff their plants and they can’t let them sit idle waiting for graduates to complete their training, so you can see the problem.”

  “Yes I can, Martin, it’s a damn shame. The realities of modern day life, we need the good old days back.”

  “Amen to that Paul, we most certainly do. Times were pretty tough for our folks when we were growing up, but they seem so much worse now.

  “Martin, are there any women’s shelters in the area?” asked Maureen.

  “Yes Maureen, there are, but nothing like the one you work in. That one is Rolls Royce and the ones we have a more Chevy or Ford in that respect. They do what they can, but the need is great and the facilities limited so you can imagine the problem. The donations they receive here are rather less generous than those you receive in Markton and they certainly don’t have a Braxton behind them to help them out. Your facility actually teaches the women new skills as I understand it, they don’t do that here. The funds are just not there nor are the facilities, like classrooms and computers or sewing machines. It’s a whole new world out there compared to what goes on here Maureen. We could desperately need such a facility out here – perhaps you should ask Mr. Braxton to set up a branch office here” Martin said tongue in cheek.

  “You know I just might do that, Martin” Maureen replied smiling.

  It was only said in jest at the time, but down the road it would be looked at in a more serious light. They spent the rest of their time there visiting other friends of Paul’s and catching up with local events and the various characters that Paul knew from way back when. Despite being quite familiar with the area in general they still went to visit Lunenburg and Peggy’s Cove. Tourism was thriving in those areas and keeping the local economy quite robust. The houses were all painted in bright colors, their gardens neat and tidy and overall it really looked very nice. It belied that fact that not too far away things were very different – but the tourists wouldn’t see that. Paul and Maureen however, were now very much aware of it and deeply sadden by it too.

  Based on what Martin had said, Paul and Maureen had to go and see for themselves just how bad it was in those areas. What they found disturbed them even more than what Martin had said. If anything Martin had understated the problem. The housing was poor, leaky windows and in general disrepair – but the people could not afford to fix them up. They couldn’t afford to feed and clothe their kids properly – so property repairs were the least of their worries. It was sad to see people reduced to this, but it was a harsh reality. When they went back to Murdoch’s Cove they had asked Alya if she saw any of this in her school. She then told them stories from her own experience and this brought tears to her eyes as she told them. This was not a third world country – it was Canada. How could this be happening here, but it was. When they examined the problem later they found that it was right across North America. All the major cities had similar problems and the rural areas were often far worse. Food stamps and subsidized housing could only go so far in trying to curb this social disaster. Civic leaders across the land were wrestling with this headache – and generally coming up short. To Maureen and Paul this had been an eye opener. It wasn’t new by any means and yet they hadn’t been aware of it. The question they were now asking themselves was why? If the problem was out there why had they not seen it? As they considered that it became obvious that they had simply ignored it. They knew that poverty was out there, that some folks were unemployed and that the food banks were kept busy. Knowing it was one thing – fully appreciating the implications of it all was another. They chose to overlook that, perhaps not intentionally, but that is what had happened. Apparently they were not alone either; most people were doing the exact same thing. This trip had been a wakeup call, a sharp dose of reality. The romantic dream that they were now living was not shared by everyone. This now gave them even great understanding of the people they were trying to help. However, something Martin had said had in fact resonated with both Paul and Maureen. They were in a Rolls Royce facility and dealing with a wealthier clientele – but the East coast also had a need. It was a need that as of now was s
imply not being met. It was something for them to think about, and they did.

  ***

  Once back home in Markton they both became involved again in the activities of the Shelter and the Man Cave. One day as Maureen was doing some paperwork Cathy Braxton dropped by to say Hi! Maureen then took a break and they went to the kitchen to have a coffee.

  “How did your holiday go out East?” asked Cathy.

  “Oh it was lovely Cathy, I caught up with all of my old friends and the memories we shared way back when. You know, it’s simply amazing what comes back to you when you go back to your roots.”

  “Yes, I suppose it does, Maureen, but not everyone wishes to do that for one reason or another.” Maureen just looked at her surprised and Cathy registered that facial expression.

  “Tony and I had our moments when we were in school, Maureen, one day I’ll tell you about those days. Just know it was a far cry from where we are now – but it helped to make us who we are today.”

  “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to dredge up past experiences for you, Cathy.”

  “I know that, Maureen and you didn’t really, I was just making a comment that not everyone’s childhood was joyful.”

  “Oh yes, Paul and I saw plenty of evidence of that while we were out there. Kids going to school hungry, having almost no clothes and those they did have didn’t fit them. They are really struggling out there these days.”

  The mention of kids having no clothes resonated with Cathy, she had been in that boat as a child. That evening when she went home she brought up that subject with her husband. They had quite the discussion on the topic and the social ramifications that the current recession was causing. Markton had these problems too – but apparently not on the same scale. However, Tony decided to have a quiet word with Paul on the subject unknown to his wife. He knew only too well how much something like this would bother her and he now wanted to know what if anything he could do about it.