Postcards

Sometimes memories disappear, only to suddenly be found, like a photo that you've put in a book. You read the book and come across the postcard and there is the memory again.

It's like that with me about the trip my family took to Barkerville in the 1960s. I have no recollection of the drive up there but my brother and I stumbling about in the Barkerville graveyard is a postcard I don't think I'll forget. There were newborn babies, which I found sad and one Prime Minister's son, who had committed suicide over a girl.

Then there was the day it rained so hard that a bird came and perched under our tent flap to wait out the storm. We watched the little thing and when the rain ended, it flew off.

People walking around in costumes of the past is another postcard as is the rock candy for a dime and the gold panning. We went to a show one night. It had dance halls girls and music hall singers and a Don Rickles-like comedian who embarrassed me in front of everyone. All in fun.

But the rest of the trip has faded. I don't even remember what the area was like. I don't know if it was mountainous or flat. I remember trees so there was forest somewhere.

My brother hated Barkerville, while I thought it was great. I liked the courtroom where Franklin Johnston an actor who lived in my hometown of White Rock played Hanging Judge Begby. He was a local legend in White Rock for this role and when a group of kids would pass by his house, they'd inevitably point it out and say, "Franklin Johnston lives there."

He has become even more legendary since he's died and it's rumored his ghost haunted the White Rock Little Theatre. Which was well known also because of it's fame for lights crashing to the floor during a performance or scenery falling over.

I set my e-book, The Mountain City Bronzes in northern British Columbia but on the western edge, the part that has Alaska on it's border, mainly because, even though I'd been to Barkerville in northern BC, I hadn't noticed the scenery. It's on sale now at Coffeetime Romance:
http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookStore/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=bafa5fd536dabf530671f7868d95f9eb&keyword=the+mountain+city+bronzes&x=27&y=6

You can highlight and paste this link to get there. It's only 59 cents. Cheers all.