It's Raining Fox
When I was a child, my family moved around a lot. My father was a helicopter pilot in the air force and whenever he was re-stationed, so were we. As a result, by the time I reached this prairie town at the age of seven, I had already called Ottawa, Los Angeles, and Toronto my home(s).
From what I recall during my years as a wee little fox, I never minded moving. The prospect of packing up all my belongings, traveling to a mysterious city and meeting all kinds of new people excited me to no end. However, I must admit that nowadays, the idea of relocating doesn’t so much enthrall me anymore, as it does terrify me.
This month marks the third consecutive spring in a row that I have changed my mailing address. Equipped only with a tape gun and extra-strength hand lotion, I have spent the last three days in a dry skin battle with cardboard boxes and packing paper.
In two days, the moving truck will come.
In eleven days, I will be unemployed.
And in thirteen days, I will be leaving on a jet plane.
The entire situation has me (as well as everyone else in my life) asking a similar question: why? The truth of the matter is that, as of this moment, I am not sure what the answer is. But that said - I can still come up some reasons as to why I am pulling up the carpet out from underneath myself.
ONE: Tabula Rasa
I am desperately in need of a blank slate. My hard drive is cluttered, and every piece of my life needs to be de-fragmented and then reset. I am looking for a fresh start and I believe I can find that on the West Coast. I don’t know very many people in Vancouver, and I am happy about that fact. It will give me a chance to create a new life for myself and shed some of the old skin that I cannot seem to shake off here.
TWO: Writing
My greatest goal in life is to write. The greatest obstacles standing in the way of that goal is good conversation, delicious red wine, and premium gin. As I confided to the cute bartender at Billabong the other night over my fifth gin nightcap, so long as I stay in this city, I will not be able to tie down any words on the page. Although I know my expensive vices will follow me wherever I go, my hope is that by doubling my rent, I will be too broke to afford them.
THREE: Boys
Sometimes a girl just needs one. I would be telling a lie if I didn’t admit that part of the reason I am going has to do with the male species. But let me get one thing gay here before I carry on: I have no intentions of pulling some Sex and the City-Jennifer Hudson- “I came to the big city to find love” type of deal.
As far as I am concerned, I am on hiatus from searching for love – if love desires, love can find me, but until such a time, I have more pressing matters at hand. THAT SAID, a boy has needs, and the fact is, the only thing drier than the air in this province is my set of bed sheets. And due to the fact that I got checked out more times in Vancouver in five days than in the last five years living here – I am optimistic that the Rugged Fox forecast, will call for more precipitation than I can handle.
In conclusion, I love Winnipeg and will be very sad to leave her. Within her lie my family, my people, my past and who knows, maybe even my future. Trust me, if I am sure of anything, it is that I am not looking forward to the next year of my life listening to poorly written Canuck jokes about how I managed to get out life in the igloo.
