March 13, 1970

 It was about 7 PM on Friday, March 13, 1970. 

My father and I had left Kingsbury Tube Station,  got in the car to drive home and turned on the radio to listen to the BBC. In that time slot they played tracks from the new albums released that week. 

It was the last day that I would be commuting in London, that is why it is emblazoned in my memory. One album they played was Willie and the poor boys, from Credence Clearwater Revival. Here, from that album, is a track that was released as a single and became a hit. It is forever in my memories of those transitional days. CCR and Down on the Corner. 

The number one tune that week in the US and UK was Bridge Over Troubled Water from Simon and Garfunkel.

And also in the top 10 Billboard chart  that week was The Hollies with He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother and the Beatles'  Let it Be.

All songs that are still played on the radio in 2020.

And all very much linked to that drive home from the Tube Station with my dad.

October Crisis

 I was still in my first year as an immigrant in Canada. I had travelled a fair bit around southern Ontario but did not feel that I was a Canadian yet. However, I did think I still belonged to the community of western democracies.

Canada, just like America, the UK and Europe were embroiled in a struggle between the present generation and the old guard over the need for the Vietnam war.

As I had mentioned earlier, the struggles that Canadians were different from the other countries  had not really sunk into my consciousness. It was a great surprise to find Canada suddenly struggling over of a sense of identity and free speech and radical groups when the October crisis occurred.

I was living in Toronto but had friends in Montreal and I travel there quite a few weekends in my first months to stay with them. It was October 1970, I was visiting the family friends who lived in the western part of Montreal Island and I took the train into the city.
It came as a great shock to see tanks travelling down Ste. Catherines.  I went into Le Château to browse clothes and when I came out,  standing right by the exit, was a soldier in full uniform and weapons standing guard looking out. I had to walk past him, no more than 6 or 10 inches apart.  He just stared ahead. I assumed his eyes were sweeping up and down the street looking for trouble makers.

It was surreal.

Not something I had expected to experience in my new country.