the journals of alan rhodes

October 28 Saturday
About 12:30 Dave and Ralph came over, talked, Gillian came. Phoned people to find smoke, phoned Mike Flahault [who I'd known in Grade 6, he'd moved to France since and returned (note)] and he came over. About 3:30 Dave and Gillian went to Fairview to get smoke. Danielle came and Mike left at 4:30, watched 'Bugs Bunny'. Dave and Gillian came back about 5:30 and got 1/2 nickel. Smoked about 6:30, got stoned. Mike returned at 7. Abby and this girl came, played Hide and Seek. Made tapes [which survive - audio sample], Andy came about 11. They left at 12.

October 29 Sunday
About Dave and Ralph came over, filmed. About 2:15 Gillian came, then Danielle. Played Hide and Seek, the new light in the flood broke. About 4:30 Danielle and Ralph left. We talked about living together in an apt. Went to the basement (parents came back). About 6 Ralph and Danielle returned and at 6:30 we walked to Gillian's. Watched 'Yellow Submarine' on TV. At 9:30 got a ride by Gill's brother to the highway.

October 30 Monday
Dave not going to any classes. Art-new teacher M. McGilton [who was not much older than us, with long hair for a teacher. Quite a change from Miss Bowyer]. Looked at our old paintings. Lunch-Ralph, Andy and I went to the C.C. outside the pool in the corner. Dave, Ruth and Linda were there. Linda, Ralph and I went to the student's lounge. Andy left. Dave and Ruth came in later. Math-Andy duked. Got out at 1:55 because of the election (for Prime Minister).

October 31 Tuesday
Chem-drew on Dave's coat. Lunch-Lesley, Dave, Linda, Ruth, Ralph, Diane and I went to the C.C. outside the pool in the corner. Dave and Ruth went to the shops. French-Ralph and I were taking each other's things. nite-Gillian, Gail and I went to Ralph (we were out for Hallowe'en) [Gillian was dressed as a cat, I don't remember if Gail wore a costume. I went with them but didn't dress up. We all got candy anyway. Foster, who we met, thought we were crazy]. Got Ralph [who's costume was an election poster taken from someone's lawn] and went to Andy's, got him and went to Chris's but he wasn't in. Andy left, then Ralph and we walked home [through the cemetery on St John's, talking several minutes trying to get Gillian and Gail over the fence]. They stayed a minute at my place, then they left.

November 1 Wednesday
B(spare)-Dave, Christine, Linda and I went to the shops, Linda had a hickey. Got Donuts, sat outside Steinberg's. Lunch-Lesley, Dave, Ruth, Linda and I went to the C.C. outside the pool in the corner. Lesley was smoking [which was unusual, as she didn't smoke]. English-he gave us a spare. Handed in Lost Horizon. After school [Foster] Tilden came over, got a nickel of hash. We smoked some of his, got stoned. He left at 3:35.

November 2 Thursday
B(spare)-Christine, Dave and I went to the shops, got donuts, sat outside Steinberg's. History-Wood explained how they elect a president. Dave ate blood out of his finger. Lunch-got annuals in rm 221 (near English), then Dave and I went to the C.C., found Ruth, Linda, Gillian (who came for the day), Diane and Ralph. Stood outside the rink. Mike Flahault and some girl came [Ralph thinks she may have been Michelle Jorden, but I am doubtful of this]. After school Gillian took my bus then walked home. nite-at about 7:30 Gillian came over, then Ralph then Lesley. Smoked 2 splifs (one mine, one Gillian's), got stoned abit. Looked at annuals, they left at 9:30.

(note) Email from Mike Flahault, February 21, 2007:
The journal you kept of the John Rennie days is an interesting reminder of that time. I had been completely traumatized, in it's truest sense, by the amputation of my very close social circle in France, the move having come at perhaps the worse time in a transitioning teenager's awareness. Absolutely nothing felt real at John Rennie or anywhere, and I was desperate to re-find the sense of belonging I had had before in Paris. The group of yourself, Ralph, etc, were the only approachable people I saw, and I remember acting my brains out (probably pretty badly) in order to try and fit in - which probably drove everybody crazy. I certainly was not a natural fit. But you, Ralph, Andy, Michelle, and everybody else, were a very tolerant group, and I was very lucky to have found you. When I think of some of the things I did or said back then, I cringe, beyond even what most teenagers may cringe about - although I can in most instances understand, now, why they were done. Things did get better as time went on, though! Reading your perceptions of those times brings a lot of it back - and it's interesting to see it through your eyes, and the eyes of others, too.