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, 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 1972

 

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.