I started working in the oil and gas industry of northeastern British Columbia in late 2001/early 2002. It was a pretty dark time for me.

I was in a haze, but distinctly remember having to move out of the hotel I was living in and moving to Maple's Court. I only had $200 left to my name, which would give me four more nights at the hotel, but I could rent a shitty room at Maple's for $125 a week. I also had to give them $50 for a damage deposit, so it left me with $25 for food and whatever else.

I bought two loaves of bread, a bulk pack of sliced ham, and some mustard and went back to make and eat three sandwiches at my bedside desk. I put the rest in the fridge for the rest of my week and then went for a walk around town.

It was January 16, 2002. My 30th birthday.

The marquee on the Lido Theatre said The Fellowship Of The Ring was playing so I reached into my pocket and took out my last ten dollar bill and started walking towards the doors.

"You got two bucks?" I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned to find a pretty ragged looking drunk guy standing there. He looked like I felt, except I hadn't had a drink in months. I looked at the ten dollar bill in my hand and said: "Sorry, but this is all I have to my name and I can't find a job."

He smiled at me with the last of what was probably a nice set of teeth, and then came in for a hug.

I hugged him back. Maybe a bit too hard. He had that semi-sweet aroma of alcoholism and shattered dreams that everyone knows, but maybe just can't place.

"It's okay buddy. I hope you get a job soon. Then we can go out for a whisky to celebrate."

"I hope so too. I was just about crying. What the fuck had my life become? I'm walking around a dirty oil town and hugging homeless people while preparing to spend my last $10 on something that will let me forget about everything and go back to my youth.

I yelled after him "Hey, bud. Hold on a minute." He turned around and started walking back towards me. I'm going to see this movie and if you can wait a couple of minutes I'll give you whatever I have left."

He said that I didn't have to do that, but I told him that I already had some sandwiches and didn't need a drink, so I would rather he got himself one. He agreed to wait and while I was in line I saw that he had a friend walk up and start talking to him.

I paid for my ticket, which was $6, and took my two toonies outside and handed them to him.

He handed one to his friend and smiled back at me. "This is my friend William," he told me. I shook his hand and introduced myself. I realized that I hadn't asked his name.

"I'm Norman. Pleased to meet you, Chris, and thank you very much. God bless you. You have a good heart."

I walked back into the theatre feeling a lot better about myself. Then I watched the movie and escaped for a few hours.

It was still as cold as a witches tit, but the three block stroll didn't get me chilled. When I arrived at Maple's Court, one of the residents told me there was a call for me. I went to the office and they told me that Johnny had called and would call back at eight o'clock on the payphone in the hall.

That was in two hours. I went to my room and wondered if it was Johnny that my friend had worked for and hoped it was. That might mean that I would have a camp job. I left my door open and made another ham sandwich while I waited.

The call came at 7:15 and I answered. He asked if I wanted to work and told me that he'd call me in the morning. I went to bed because I wanted to be wide awake when he called. He called at ten the next morning and told me that Jimmy would be there to pick me up in an hour and to be waiting out front.

I started getting my hockey bag packed up, made a couple of sandwiches for the road and took my bread, ham, and mustard to one of the guys that I had talked to. He was going through a tough time as well, so he was pretty thankful for anything.

Then I went out to meet Jimmy.

---

It's strange what triggers memories. We were given a couple of free tickets to a Pink Floyd cover band at the Lido tonight. It was converted to a really cool venue after the multiplex started up in the mall. I started thinking about all of the wonderful memories I have of that theatre when I was in severe depressions and in not so severe depressions. I haven't been there in years and my wife has never been, so I look forward to going there when I'm actually at a really good place in my life.

I decided that as a balance to writing funny stories, I should touch back on the not so funny times as well. That's what made me decide to start this series. I'm sure there will be some fun, but there will also be some pretty real shit as well. Just so you know.