Boomerang

Punitive politics fostered unity and community.

Jeff’s truck. Photo taken by me July 2023. License plate has been blurred.

Three guys in a Nova Scotia garage are describing their time in Ottawa with the Freedom Convoy. Memories bubble up, spill over. Jeff, whose Western Star still has dents in its stacks, says:

Did I tell you guys about that one French guy that I met up there? I was waiting for coffee at the canteen near where I was parked. And he comes up and parlez-vous français? Sorry, man. I don't know what he said. Bonjour is about all I've got.

He's said, 'Oh!' Very rough English, but he tried. And we talked for a second or two. We couldn't say a lot back and forth cuz we couldn't understand. I turned back, waiting for my coffee.

And then he says, 'I love Justin Trudeau.' This is about Week 2.

And I said, 'Is that right?' My blood started to boil. Okay, calm down. I just ignored him.

He said, 'Do you know why?'

I said, 'No, I really don't know why you would love Justin Trudeau.'

Then came the exhuberant explanation:

'Because I would never have tried to even speak to anybody in English before. Here I've talked to people from Alberta. He has brought us all together. '

Closeup of the photo above.