I think I may have only told a select few about this experience…
I’m certain at 14 I did nothing to warrant it.
I was travelling across the country with my grandmother, my aunt and her husband in the red Ford Bronco.
My aunt had issued me a challenge. If I could save 500.00 from working in the greenhouse, they would take me to Vancouver. How exciting!
And I did it. I saved my 500.00, and was told later it cost them much more than that to accommodate me, with a roof rack and the back storage filled to the brim.
We were on our way to Expo ’86 in Vancouver.
They chose to drive through the states, at the dollar was at 70 cents, and we had to find banks that would cash my travellers cheques along the way, but got to see some amazing things on the trip. They had a new video camera, and I remember Robin trying to record the buffalo in Yosemite…
We saw Old Faithful, who had a sign that noted the specific times it would erupt. We were about 15 minutes before the next, and like clockwork, it showed us its natural beauty.
Mount Rushmore was a sight to behold. We had no access to the actual site, as it was reported too many people had taken the stone that was harvested, and was taking away from the breathtaking specimen of natural history. So they built access point you could walk to to take in its beauty.
We went through Wall Drug, South Dakota. The only place I knew that for 100 miles on the freeway before you got there, was a constant reminder with signage not to miss visiting Wall Drug. Honestly? Letdown. It looked like a street in the wild Wild West, and was a bunch of historical data and gift shops. They also had a bank that took a travellers cheque.
We mapped out and stopped at every JC Penny that we could find, Robin had a set of sheets she had fallen in love with. unfortunately we never came home with them. Every store had pieces and parts, but never had the full set. She didn’t want to take the chance that she couldn’t come home without all the pieces, so if the store didn’t have all of them, she didn’t buy it.
We stopped at one of the sketchiest bars in some small town and pulled a ‘start the car’. one night when Robin ran out of Baileys for her morning tea. She went in and talked the bartender into selling her a bottle, and ran like hell after scoring one. She said the company that was being kept in there was not the best, and we got out of town. quickly. The Baileys hid in the paper bag directly behind the backseat, for easy access, and it was the perfect hiding spot should we get pulled over.
We drove about 12 hours a day, and one night stayed at a hotel that was so terrible, Robin and Nan went back to the desk to get a refund and we just kept driving. all I remember is the panelling and the icky blue blanket on top of the bed.
We stayed at KOA campgrounds the rest of the time.. Plus, we got to see some really beautiful parts of the upper states, I remember one in particular that had us on the side of a valley, all you cold see was rolling grass and trees. It was so beautiful.
We also stayed in a KOA I’ll never forget.
Robin and Nan had gone for groceries and I was left with Bill.
I had never been uncomfortable with any part of my trip. Until this day.
He hugged me after we were done setting up camp. not a regular hug, a come sit with me hug… he was behind me and had his arms wrapped around me.
The hands wandered, but never reached any of the areas that would have been considered in assault to be pertinent.
It was enough for me to know that I wasn’t comfortable.
This wasn’t right.
It didn’t feel right.
He was too close, in my space.
I could feel his breath on the back of my neck.
But I could not panic. I honestly didn’t know what to do,
So I did nothing with my body, while my brain worked furiously to come up with a way to get away.
I didn’t engage. I tried to act as normal. I was sitting on his lap, and his arms were wrapped around me.
Nope, no way this was right. Or comfortable.
It felt like forever.
Finally, ( I honestly don’t know how much time had passed), I had an idea.
I had to go to the bathroom.
He couldn’t follow me into the girls bathroom.
He let me go, and I hid there, until…. forever. I was hoping he wouldn’t try to come and find me. I hid in a stall, and occasionally peeked out the door to see if he was searching.
Robin and Nan weren’t back from the store yet. They had no idea I was so scared.
I could see the pool people were using, and knew there were folks around.
I waited until it was late enough that I was sure there would be someone at our camping spot, and thankfully there was.
I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t know if it would be brushed under the rug, or ignored, or if I would be called a liar.
Years later, a few more stories came out, one from his own daughter about inappropriate behaviour. It solidified the fact that I was right, and he had indeed been inappropriate. He wasn’t invited to her wedding, and they have no contact. He does however, have the loving wife he cheated with on my aunt while she was dying from cancer, and daughters. Multiple females in the house, I wonder if his wife has any idea that her loving husband had been so very inappropriate with young ladies.
Back to the trip.
We got to Vancouver and were staying with Barb and Peter.
Barb was Robin’s dearest, lifelong friend, that had moved out west with Peter, they had grown up living across the street from each other.
Peter wasn’t passing the vibe check… Robin and I are very much alike, and if it doesn’t smell right or sound right, we start asking questions.
Peter was very possessive, and often undermined Barb’s decisions, and she would bend to satisfy. Peter was also very commanding, making no bones about how he wanted things done in his home. He most definitely did not like the Barb that came out when Robin was there.
We got to the Expo, and bought 3 day passes. The first thing we did was hit up a gift shop, so we could grab souvenirs for those at home. T shirts, a sun visor for my brother, yellow, (it will be important) and other things. Barb said we could keep them in the house, as we were in the tent in the backyard.
We had planned to go to Hope, BC the day following our 3 days pass to do some touristy things that Barb had suggested, and I had little to no idea the trip wasn’t going as planned.
That night, Barb and Peter went to a party at a friends house and we were not invited. We grabbed our showers, and headed to the tent to sleep.
The rest of the evening ended up like a really bad dream.
I could hear Peter and Bill talking, but it didn’t sound like a productive conversation. I peeked out of the eye that was closer to my pillow so no-one could see me watching, and there was Peter, at the door to the tent. He had woken Bill, and apparently had left the party, without Barb.
He had come back to the house, to tell us we were no longer welcome to stay. He said he was going to go back to the party to get Barb, told us what time he would be home, and that we should not be there when they got back. I couldn’t believe my ears. I listened, my eyes closed tight. Robin had taught me when I was younger that if I wanted to appear like I was sleeping, to have slow, even breaths, so that is what I did. But I listened. Bill agreed, and Peter said that all of our belongings had been removed from the home, and we could get them from outside the door.
When Peter left, I think I wasn’t the only ne that was pretending to sleep. Nan and Robin shot up like a rocket. We started packing, so we could get the hell out of there. Robin was indignant. Nan was scared. Peter was not to be trusted. He had issued veiled threats, and they were concerned for my safety.
Robin’s mind was like a steel trap. She remembered everything we had purchased, and instantly knew there were things missing.
Peter had made a mess of all of our gifts. /he had so carelessly thrown them all over the small landing outside the door.
Robin did a quick inventory, and realized the sun visor was missing. She had tucked it behind the couch so it wouldn’t get broken. She got stinking mad, and said that she knew where it was, and that she knew where the spare key was hiding.
While we were jamming stuff into the Bronco as fast as we could, someone (I think it was Nan) stood watch at the door, and Robin headed in to claim the last of our things. It is pertinent to note that we were made aware of a weapon in the home when we arrived, which made us nervous while grabbing the last few things, as we didnt’ know where the weapon was. Peter was not to be trusted, but had he taken it with him?
Robin located the sun visor, thankfully still intact. We were packed, it wasn’t pretty, but we were getting the hell out of there and would figure it out in the morning.
We drove until we could find a hotel, we had no idea where we were. Much to our surprise, we found out in the morning, we were in Hope. Robin immediately ordered us out and back on the road, to get far away from this mess.
It is important to note that Robin called Barb multiple times and was never permitted to speak to her. We heard that Peter who was a native of Australia took her back to his home country, and Im not sure whether any of her Canadian friends heard from her again.
It rained most of the way back. I remember the tie down strap vibrating from the speed of the vehicle and the incessant rain.
What had started with such excitement, such anticipation had failed in the worst way.
We did however, get our Expo in, and Nan talked to mother about seeing if I needed some therapy and should be watched upon my return.
I hope Barb is okay, and I hope Bill gets his. Whatever that may be.