Robert Karman

A Day's Ride from De Bullion Robert Karman

In my writing I started off with but one thought, and that was to reminisce about my growing up in Montreal, and nothing more. But as I got into this story, my mind did wander off in many directions. Some individuals may not like the fact that I've brought them into my story, others may be disappointed they haven't been mentioned. In other cases names have been changed to prevent embarrassment and legal problems. Some names are changed because many are still married. The lives of others are now worn out because of drink and late nights. Others are dead. For me life started on De Bullion St. in Montreal. The street, overcrowded with ethnic peoples from one end to the other, plus the drunks and prostitutes, taught an 8-year-old everything he had to know. A day's ride from De Bullion took my parents and me to Toronto to live with my sister in a house without hydro or water. The art studio years started at a large studio when I was 17, followed by many other studios where I learned and observed. This included the excitement and erotic times of this era. After many working years and two marriages I had the opportunity to sail the North Atlantic with two others on a 35-foot sailboat. The stormy crossing had its problems with the boat and crew. Our first landfall was Scotland, next the North Sea and into the Baltic. The trip ending in Helsinki, Finland, and the other two have not spoken to each other since.