We arrived about 10 minutes late for a board meeting in Vancouver, causing my business partner to apologize, explaining; “You’ve got no idea what its like walking with a Newfoundlander on Robson Street. I’ve lived in this city for over 50 years and I don’t recognize a single person – this guy just moved here and he runs into five people with whom he simply must stop and “catch up”
For many years I attributed these chance occurrences to a Newfoundlander’s acute level of observation. When you come from a small place you expect to see people you know, and you are therefore mindful of any opportunity to say hello, or worse, fearful that you might accidentally shun the wrong person. But since I’ve moved home I believe its actually due to a genuine interest in our environment, a willingness to make time for others, and our never-ending quest for the perfect story.
“…expect to see people you know…”
Last week I received an email from Dan Gardiner at www.boondockersmovie.com Dan is excited about the back country snowmobile footage the Boondockers crew shot in Utah this winter and he is trying to get a head start editing the 15th video we’ve scheduled for release in August 2018.
Though this series of extreme winter sports films started in Newfoundland, we haven’t shot any footage here in years, so Daniel tries to maintain our lineage by showcasing Newfoundland musicians as often as possible. Thus, the call. He remembered a really cool song I sent him a few years back and wondered if the band ‘Rocket, Rocket Ship’ were still interested in an opportunity to work with us.
I told him that I hadn’t heard much about them lately but would do my best to make contact. I did a google search that wasn’t very promising. I made a couple of phone calls to little avail. I even asked the kid at the local music shop about the band, who I was saddened to hear, had recently broken up and were no longer playing together. I called Daniel with the news and promised I would source some other Newfoundland acts for him to show case.
“…to maintain our lineage…”
That same evening, I was sitting in our studio doing a little writing when I noticed the sky brightening in the western windows, promising an amazing sunset. I’d recently discovered a new path that would afford me an interesting view with the city in its foreground, so I dressed quickly and booted it to the trail head where I found a set of footprints forging ahead of me. This is not a marked trail, so the intrusion made me ponder about the company I might share when I reached the top. I needn’t bother for I wasn’t half way up the hill when I met a young fellow making his descent.
I stood back to greet him and allow him a safe passage along the slippery slope. Instead he stopped to chat. He was obviously a nice kid and our circumstance allowed an easy start to conversation.
Well, we hadn’t exchanged more than a couple of sentences when I recognized his dialect and an obvious heritage from St. George’s / Flat Bay. I have many friends from this part of the island and we set in to tracing our connections like long lost family members – which we were in a way, given his blood relationship to some of the community’s finest characters and some of my best buddies; including Cal and Dave White, Dion Bennet, Skipper Wayne and the Callahan’s.
The added comfort in kinship allowed our conversation to venture into deeper territory and the material we shared was brilliant and terribly funny. It was lovely, and despite the setting sun and a dazzling blaze of colours, I decided to forego the photo opportunities and instead turned to join the kid on his descent, just so we could keep talking.
“…decided to forego the photo opportunities…”
By the time we made it back to the road I learned that my new friend was an avid trekker, so I suggested he provide his contact information since we are talking about starting a new hiking shuttle and tour program for McCarthy’s and I thought he would make an excellent guide. Once I’d taken his information he asked if I’d offer the same. I apologized for not having introduced myself earlier and when I stated my name he responded with surprise;
“Andrew McCarthy? From Boondockers?”
“Yes”
“Andrew its me, Tyrone from ‘Rocket Rocket Ship’ – you were going to use one of our songs in your snowmobile show a few years back! We’d be awfully interested if you guys are still making movies!”
No kidding.
Some might suggest that we live in a small world – to which I always respond; “Only when you live it large!”
“…only when you live it large!”
Look forward to seeing you at the ‘Rocket Rocket Ship’ Grand Finale this weekend at Valhalla on George Street in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Friday, April 6 at 9 PM
