The Man from the south, an untold story.

So there was a man,
the way which we meet was quite unusual for sure.

April 16nd, Sunday, Sunny day 19.
Taking the COHO ferry from Victoria - Port Angelers
Customs officer: "Where are you heading today sir?"
Pirate: to visit a friend.
CO: "how do you know this friend?"
P: "well officer, i haven't officially meet him i just left my truck at his house two weeks ago.. its a kind of a funny story. I had no place to park and didn't want to pay $6 a day for parking leaving my truck down her for two weeks, so i found this house and left the person my email, his name is Laird."
CO: "ummm ok, where does this person live?"
P: well its up the road out of town, turn left at the top of the hill and its about a block in, one block away from the beach"
CO: "everything here is a block away from the beach"
P: "well its there, i don't know the address"
CO: ok, Mr G-Gallus, so im going to hold on to your passport and you are going to bring your truck down her for us to check out"
P:"ummm ok, sure"

His name is Laird..
His is retired, and loves scotch. Also the finer things in life, skiing and getting shit done! He works hard restoring and renovation houses he bought many of years ago. In a town, in his mind is slowly dying. but the tourism is somewhat keeping it alive.
What im posting here could properly be illegal or unethical, but you should all know about this man!

First Responses after leaving a message on his door with my email.

Apr. 18th
Should be fine, would have been better if you parked closer to the dog's car (brown Mocha Mobil) that way it looks like you are here at the house instead of a transient. If it is long term I have a house I am working on 6 blks up the street.

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Apr. 19th
Hi Larid,
Thankyou again for letting me park there, i will be down in the next couple of weeks to pick it up and import it.
Just a random question do you have any relation to a Brian and Kathy XXXX from Fruitland WA, 2 hours north of Spokane along HWY 25? I see from your email that your a skiier perhaps, i was working at Red Mountain just near Nelson BC.
Do you need anything from victoria when i come down?
Thanks again.
Sam

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Apr. 19th
It was a strange year here. It snowed hard in Nov. and dec. and then rained. So the Ridge wasn't open and when it did get good the Park would have it closed down for Sever storm warning. This year was a bust. I mostly back country downhill. Hike for twenty minutes or more and ski for about 3min. Is that crazy or what? My biological father was adopted and lived on a Reservation I think in Idaho. He does have a sister that came to his funeral some years back. He left when I was 3 or 4 so I don't know too much about him other than he would always talk about his High School basket ball titles. Kind of Like Al Bundy on Married with Children. Anyway, on the return trip on the Coho ferry pick me up a bottle of duty free scotch. They are really inconsistent on their supplies. Sometimes they have Glenfidach or Bushmill's I will gladly pay you back. Liquor here in Washington is as bad as Canada. Feel free to give me a call on the ferry on the return trip. Don't call until you are at least 1/2 way across so you don't get stuck for roaming charges. Unless your phone is registered in Canada.
(360) 808-XXXX

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Another five or so message get sent back and forward, mainly aguing about the ferry times, and me pirate sam proving to me right after he disgruntly calls the coho depo to find the times have changed due to spring. was one of our quite funner of few interactions.
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24th. May
Laird,
How have you been down there? your mountains over there still amazing me looking from vic, are there any glaciers up there or is it to mild?
So ill be coming down to visit and pick up my truck around the 15th, ill know better dates and time closer to the day but ill be down in cali for two weeks then hopefully selling my truck on the way back. Ill make sure i pick up the right bottle of scotch for you on way over as a thankyou for helping me.
have a great sunny day,
cheers
Sam

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May. 25th

Just got back from a trip down to Yachats on the Oregon coast. Spent 4days there. Good chance I will be here in town that days but if I am not the key is in the top drawer of the old sewing machine cabinet on the porch. Going to be gone the weekend before though. Will either be fishing or going a graduation party of friend (ones we visit in Oregon) she is graduating from the UW pharmacology as a pharmacist. will be boring! rather fish for halibut and get the shit kicked out of me from the heavy seas. Don't have any room in the freezers for more fish, but what the hell.

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You can make up your own opinion,
I could tell when i saw his house, without even meeting him that there was something different. A man, with some amazing energy that is shown through his everyday life!
The love, time and passion.. for a simply amazing lifestyle.
the un-majority stereotype of america.

Pirate

Wild Summer Play

So Mid May, Time is flying by.
Time in once again getting the better of me, less than a month until i head down to cali to catching up with the aussie crew coming over, before the real summer take on full swing.
Last week, actually nearly three weeks ago i guess, i went down to visit Laird down in port anglers. I left my truck at his house when i first came up to Victoria, left a note with my email on it and we have keep in contact. So thought it would be nice go down for a visit and actually meet him. But the boarded wanted to give me a hard time once again so had the enjoyable pleasure of their company for the most part of two hours. It's a good story, ill leave it at that! well it always is with me and boarders as many of you would know by now.

Totally killed my job interview at wild play, it was just so smooth... the job was for me, its the job for me! the people are super rad and working outside with people getting stoked is awesome. did a week of intense training and now a fully qualified guide with them which enables me to do AD (accessed descents) when people are too tired or scared to continue. And the best part of the job is that i get to work with MIM! She just got promoted to GSA (guest service attendant) Team Lead! I love(7)* her for the amazing energy she bring to our relationship.

I knocked together some kickass planter boxes the other day, and we have some herbs, strawberry's and peppers growing out the front. Getting all moved into my man cave in James Bay, I live in a duplex just with three other girls about 10 minutes walk from downtown.. surround by water on three sides.



* The numbers next to love is the scale of love.. the number limit has not been set. (the system came from a extended discussion on love with mim, after i listened to a physiology lecture about the emotion of love)