Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Blue Jeans and High Heels

She entered my “Grand Homes” Sales Office in Brantford, Ontario. Her husband, Yvon, was recently
transferred from a Montreal-based business to an industry in this city...nestled along the eastern bank of the Grand River, its long southerly route meandering through the countryside, towns and cities to its Lake Erie destination.

Tall and statuesque, Maureen embodied a casual statement of chic fashion. Never before had I seen a woman clad in well-fitted blue jeans, a crisp white cotton blouse with ruffled collar and cuffs...and imagine this with strappy stiletto- heeled shoes. Wow! The norm for me in those days was to pair jeans with a tee-shirt and (if affordable) cushioned Nike runners.

She and Yvon spoke fluent English, making known they needed a home built with a closing date not to exceed six months from this current day. We discussed the family requirements and locations of schools for their three children.

A house design was selected with a decision to return the following day to sign contract papers together with deposit cheques. I gave them a site plan, city maps, information about The Telephone City...its recreation and community activities. For easy reference, I highlighted the school locations and advised them of 2 or 3 local motels for their weekend sojourn. With delighted smiles, they exited the Sales Office with a cheery “Au Revoir”. Again, I noted her fashion ensemble, impressed with this Montreal-style that I could easily adopt.

By appointment, Yvon and Maureen arrived early the next day to sign the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, submit the deposit cheque...plus others, post-dated, based on the house construction stages. Then, following two to three hours of numerous selections of home finish...e.g. roof, brick and siding trim, paint colour for exterior doors and windows, interior wall paint, cabinetry, ceramic tiling and broadloom. I observed her Saturday apparel, which instilled in me her fashion-conscious appearance...today, light blue denims, sky-blue sweater, navy high wedge shoes. Her makeup and accessories...impeccable! Yvon was strongly French in character and physique...casually dressed...and receptive to Maureen's choices pertaining to the finishing of their “Grand Home”.

It was summer when they moved here. I was introduced to Annette, a pretty teenager with long brunette hair who'd be attending High School...also Claire and Jacques, both in lower grades. Maureen and I became friends, occasionally meeting for tea or coffee. A couple years later, she invited me for a confidential “rendez-vous” in her home.

The move to Ontario had been two-fold...a new life for her and Yvon and a new environment for their children. Yes, this had been positive! But, the abusive traits of her husband were still prevalent and continual on an almost daily basis. Divorce papers were pending...the house would remain hers in the settlement. To prepare for this transition, she enrolled in a Business course to upgrade her skills for a potential job.

She felt akin to me...I was a divorcee with two children to raise. Together, we commiserated, discussed the challenges of financially coping and fulfilling the parental duties of “Mother and Father” within the household. Her personal strength and determination carried her through this traumatic ordeal...she quickly became self-sufficient, anticipating this next phase of her life.

Among the associates advancing their skills for job qualification and promotion was Mac. He was tall and lithe, having retired from a basketball career and now stepping into the Business world. They became mutually attracted and each “good company” for the other. Maureen's children respected Mac, especially Jacques. All soon realized this was a “match made in heaven”. He was gentle and kind, enthralled with this “ready-made-family”. The following year they were married in a quiet ceremony.

Within a year Mac developed stomach cramps and severe pains. Doctors diagnosed the symptoms to be possibly indicative of ulcer(s). When all medication and treatment failed, exploratory surgery revealed he was full of cancer...and terminally ill! “How could this happen? He is the Love of my Life”, Maureen sobbed. She was totally devastated! Retreating to her inner self, she lost her steadfastness and positive-drive ability. “Now, what?”, she asks me. “You have three children, dear friend, although Yvon shows little interest in them, except for Jacques. My Mother would remind me, 'God will Provide' ”, as I tried to soothe her troubled mind. Her priorities switched. Her children and her job became essential. For three or four years, these were her “focus”.

She became involved in a few community activities to restore her sanity...and there she met David at a dinner meeting held a local Golf and Country Club one evening. Sitting at the same table for ten...overlooking a small lake with a regatta of sails in the wind, she silently reminisced about Montreal and The St. Lawrence River. Back to reality, she was aware of David sitting beside her, conversation ensued; she discovered that his wife had died two years previously of cancer and in this grieving time, he felt like a “lost soul”. A great friendship grew and respect for each other. David had reddish-blonde hair, totally different than Yvon and Mac...yet they shared a common bond.

Annette was now attending McMaster University in Hamilton and boarding with a student in a Westdale home. Claire and Jacques, both in High School,were content and happy with new-found friends. Life seemed Good! David had an enterprise he yearned to investigate and asked Maureen to accompany him...to the Okanagan Valley in central British Columbia. She could not possibly fathom leaving Brantford, leaving her three children, leaving her job to “gallivant” with David to some place far remote. When he told her of an unparalleled variety of climate and landscape, hoodoos, orchards, vineyards, mountains, valleys, lakes, highlands, ski slopes and trails, dozens of parks surrounding Okanagan Lake... literally an adventure playground, she was thrilled at the prospect of this “dream holiday”! She gave him a three-week-limitation (her vacation time). “Then, we'll fly,”he told her. “But what if...?” she asked him. All was resolved: Annette had a summer job in Hamilton, Jacques would stay with his Father for hopefully a satisfactory Dad/Son reunion to rebuild their relationship As for Claire, I invited her to my home...my daughter for company and friendship.

After their three-week-dream-cation, both returned ecstatic about, not only their combined interests and affection, but the joy of living in this scenic part of British Columbia. The enterprise was a combination of boat rentals, arrangements for fishing equipment and lures for tourists and vacationers. While there, they rented a house beside the lake which would be theirs, should they accept the position offered through David' associate friend.

Within a few months, David and Maureen were married. The lives of her children were all now established. Only Claire would move with them to complete her education in The Okanagan. Jacques chose to live with his Father, and by now, Annette had a full time job. With great pleasure, I attended their wedding...with tears in my eyes for their well-deserved happiness!

I sometimes wonder if she still wears Blue Jeans and High Heels.

Merle Baird-Kerr
July 18, 2010

(Note: This is a true story. Locations and names have been changed.
I post at this time...it was in March that I met Maureen and Yvon.)

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