Getting Acclimated

It has been suggested – and I think it’s valid – that my usual response to events I deem “unusual” are probably normal in a variety of locations. It isn’t just that these things are happening on an Island – it’s more that they are outside my experience.

My life has included a variety of different “cultures” – the wildest being the time I spent working on racetracks in the American south. I suspect a lot went on there in terms of vigilante actions that I just wasn’t privy to – so I wasn’t educated. 🙂

On the benign end of the scale of differences – my world prior to this Island would not have countenanced purple balloons on an orange boat. grin Or, for that matter, hot pink on a red boat. Apparently I am much more conservative in some areas of life than I thought.

Having said all that, we’re still dealing with the loss of that young man I told you about yesterday.

The RCMP Daily Occurrence Report for that evening mentions a sudden death and says that the investigation is ongoing. I’m sure that’s true. However.

One of my friends was talking to an Officer yesterday.

• My Friend: Why don’t you shut down these drug dealers? You know where he got the stuff – go arrest them.
• The Officer: Don’t you have a Bic Lighter?
• My Friend: Huh?
• The Officer: You guys always took care of these things yourselves. We don’t have time to deal with them. A lighter would do the trick.

Note that I wasn’t there for the conversation so I am undoubtedly paraphrasing. Still I am assured that the Bic Lighter comment is a direct quote.

The dealer referred to by my friend rents a house from somebody I know. That woman currently lives in Saint John and she got a phone call yesterday telling her that threats are being made against the house.

Her initial reaction was to come down here and kick him out – but cooler heads prevailed, pointing out that there was some risk involved in that approach.

What she did instead was call the individual in question and give him 2 weeks to pack up and leave. I still think it would be smart of him to get out of here much faster than that.

There is more than one dealer on the Island. I learned this week that one of them has a nickname on the mainland – it’s Satan. That was comforting.

It’s possible that patience has worn so thin that once the dealer being held responsible for that death (by those of us who obviously know nothing but assumptions and gossip) is persuaded to leave then the rest in that business will be looked at.

Well, except for Satan. I know him as a legitimate business man and this supposed sideline is just a rumour to me. However, his nickname is powerful enough to convince me he will survive whatever comes. In the meantime, my horizons are being constantly expanded. 🙂