HOW MY WIFE GOT HER FISHING LICENSE
       This week I am in somewhat an agitated mood, so I thought I would blog about that. In fact, I am sure I could write another 3 more blogs on this same subject. It was bad enough that my company truck broke down on Monday, blowing a rad hose in the process and overheating. However by Wednesday night, again that black cloud that likes to screw with me was back, creating more trouble for me as I had a flat drive tire. So thinking the worst was over, I was looking forward to a long weekend where I could catch up on my writing and some "Game of Thrones."
        Friday was payday, so that made me a bit more happy as I had my vacation pay released to buy some new tires for my prized truck "Silverbear." Then on Saturday, when I went to take my wife to the airport, another terrible thing happened. She had planned on a wonderful trip to Vancouver to visit her stepdaughter and her new fiancee. She had previously called Westjet, to let them know that although her passport was expired, she still had other appropriate photo ID. A lady at Westjet told her, that was not going to be an issue because she wasn't flying out of Canada. I mean she still had her Alberta Health Care Card, plus she had her birth certificate as well as a Costco card which had her picture on it. So when I went to go drop her off at the airport, to my dismay I discovered the normal route I usually took someone to the airport was blocked due to road construction.So again I found an alternate route and to my utter shock was once more rerouted due to even more stupid road construction.
       At this point, I was getting concerned regarding getting my wife to the airport, as we had to be there an hour before her flight time. Luckily I found a third route, dropped the hemi down and got her to Calgary International Airport just in time, as she was the last one waiting to get on the plane. I thought we made it, just in time as everything seemed to be okay. I said our goodbyes, gave her a quick goodbye kiss, got back into my truck and proceeded to depart the airport when my cellphone rang. It was my wife, completely upset and crying telling me that airport security would not let her get on the plane, because her passport ID was expired, not to mention not accepting the Costco card as proof of her identity.
      Now to make a long story short, we managed to get the flight rebooked for 4'oclock that afternoon, as we were told to go and get her, if you can believe this, a dam fishing license from Cabellas, because it is a government issued form of ID. We also applied to get her new Alberta ID as well, but heres the kicker. All she needed to have, which we were never told by Westjet, was the fishing license and her healthcare card. I mean if she had a driver's license that would be fine too, but she doesn't have one. Then on Saturday night, Calgary experienced a very bad rainstorm, complete with unfortunately golf ball size hail. It was completely dark after the storm passed, so I felt maybe my truck had escaped Mother Nature's wrath, meaning somehow the large hail hadn't damaged my truck.
     After walking out my front door this morning, I was both disappointed and angry that Mother Nature decided to screw around with my beloved 2011 Dodge Ram. I was not impressed to say the least, and now the money I had saved for my new tires, would now be going as an insurance deductible to fix the many dents in my truck. Yes Mother Nature once again, decided to cost me money I had planned elsewhere. So to say my week, was good, okay, normal, would be a huge understatement. I certainly don't know what problems I created for anyone to have to endure this kind of animosity in my life, but bluntly put, this week sucked!
    I would tell you to have a good week, but maybe that might be cursing you, so I will whisper it instead. In the meantime, enjoy the first-page excerpt from my second book "Sidewinder"
PROLOGUE

        Brian Wade is starting his new life in Victoria on Vancouver Island BC. He will go through a variety of sales jobs, relationships with women and various other adventures in trying to find his right niche. Eventually he will find the right woman that puts him in his place and embarks on a long lasting relationship with her.

CHAPTER-1: VICTORIA’S NEWEST SINGLE GUY

         I was now living in the spectacular city of Victoria, “Canada’s Paradise." This was truly the “Flower Capital of Canada”, where the streets are lined with pink cherry trees, housing British-styled homes surrounded by luscious green grass. The air from the Pacific Ocean was a welcome relief from the industrial stench of the mainland of Vancouver.

         After that first week, I landed in Victoria; I went to work at my new place of business, GWE on Burnside Road in Victoria. Initially I was residing there at our Phone-Room Supervisor Ashley’s home, which was a five bedroom, Victorian-Style home. Here he had rented out each bedroom, which consisted mostly of Chinese college students, which unfortunately spoke very little English.

         It was also here, that I met Christina Wine, a young, vivacious blonde-haired young woman I had talked to on the phone, back in Vancouver. Chris was the liaison that arranged for me to work in the Victoria office and was somewhat instrumental in making the necessary arrangements for my relocation. In fact, we got along so well, when we met face to face, we became instant friends. Apparently she was looking for a roommate, so after that crazy first week living in the “Chinese-Zone” I quickly took her up upon her offer. The next weekend, I was quite elated to move out of my tiny room that I had previously rented from that so-called “Chinese Landlord Ashley.”

        My next address would be 254 Gorge Road East, and I would reside here at least for the coming year. Even though my new roommate was somewhat attractive, nothing sexual or anything of that nature would ever occur between us. We had established a mutual respect for one and other, so we both chose to never cross that line.

        About this time, the late comedic actor Robin Williams was starred in a movie called “Good Morning Vietnam." I had a most unusual but very unique approach of making cold calls to prospective customers. In a very loud and probably quite an obnoxious voice, I would respond on the telephone with a familiar saying. As an example I would change the “Good Morning Vietnam” greeting on the phone with the person’s name.

        It might sound like this...”Good! Morning, Mrs Jones”, this is Brian Wade on behalf of The Victoria Firefighter’s Burn Fund”, or whatever charity we were campaigning for at the time. It might seem bizarre, but it was a very effective way of getting the person on the other end of the telephone, quick attention. That was just one of my vices, I would use whatever means necessary to acquire the pledge or sale. I was so confident in my telemarketing prowess that I even flirted with various secretaries on the phone as well. It was in this manner that I could bypass them and talk to the owners, bosses, supervisors, in addition to Vice-Presidents, along with Presidents of big corporations. The bigger donation, the more money in my pockets on payday, so I was quite aggressive in getting the order.

        It was also at this time, I had tried to locate the whereabouts of my daughter, Cassandra. However, in that period, I was also led to believe that my parents did not know where she was either. At least, that was what I was what I was told anyhow. Little did I know at that phase in my life, my ex-wife, Stacie had contacted my parents. In point of fact, I am quite positive, she was blackmailing them into having Cassie be there. I later found out, that if they wanted to continue to have Cassie in their lives, they had to play her game. The conditions were as long as they didn’t tell me where she was living, for fear I would try and contact her. That way, my parent’s would be free to take care of my daughter as they wished. I strongly believe that due to this arrangement, my relationship with my daughter became very distant and strained.
        Cassandra became extremely close to my dad in her visits to their home too. In fact, she would call him “Poppy” which was short for Grandpa. If truth be told, my Mom and Dad had always wanted a daughter they could call their own, now they had one, literally fall into their laps. I like to say here and now, where they made their cardinal mistake, is they made my daughter Cassandra their whole life! By that I mean they made her the center of attention, which created narcissism in her so much. Thus she felt that she was the only thing that mattered. I also think Cassandra at such a young age took advantage of that fact, so she got anything she wanted, well within my Mom and Dad’s budget anyway. That narcissism that I am talking about will become a mechanism for how Cassie really does get anything she wants, in Book 3 “Road History.”

        As for my new roommate Chris and I, well we became extremely close friends renting together. Moreover, it was near to the end of that year, that she met the half-breed Indian named Greg a rather tall and dark complexioned youth. He would definitely be considered half native in origin, although he was a white young male. Surprisingly it didn’t take long for Greg to move in with us either, against my better wishes.

          In fact, I bet you, it wasn’t even six months that Chris and Greg broke up, because he now liked someone better, as well as younger, which worked at GWE. So then Chris got all pissed off at Greg, moved out and now he decided he wanted to be my next roommate. The next week, Greg moved in with me and was now dating Carman who was a telemarketer that worked at nights. Sounds like a stupid episode of “Big Brother” right? But this was what my life had become, at that point.

          Carman was this short, skinny fiery red-headed young girl that was just plum crazy about Greg. I guess you could say there was a great deal of fraternization going on, where I worked as well. The real strange thing about it, was why all this was going on, all around me, I stayed single! In any case, could you blame me, from the strange events that unfolded way back in Vancouver? When I arrived there, the first things on my priority list were to buy a car and drive to work, instead of taking a bus.

          That following summer of 1989 I had finally gotten myself into shape; in addition to that I was eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well. Yup, I was one happening single, eligible bachelor! I mean I had furniture, a “rock- in” bedroom but still no wheels for transportation! The sports I was involved with included swimming and most surprisingly...tennis. This was mainly due in part as we had a tennis court situated outside our balcony door, which was pretty much accessible to play most of the times.

           As usual, I pursued my telemarketing career with such zest and a burning passion like never before. However, the challenge that I had was making a more money which I pretty much reached my limit at this place. I needed to find a job that paid better or at least made some extra cash to save for a car for. It was also at this time, I knew my marriage to Stacie was over for good, there was no going back, this time! The problem, as I previously mentioned was, I was cash strapped to pay for a divorce. Speaking of such an annulment, somehow the “Province of Ontario” took care of that.