I had remembered Brian from high school. My grade nine homeroom was just down from the grade twelve section. This was the early 70’s. The grade twelves in our school had their own smoking/ tv room, with their own vending machines. I developed early and had been “dating” since I was 12-13 yrs old. I remember Brian standing at his classroom door laughing with Gordie, Grant, and Al. We often ended up at the same parties but I didn’t really know him. Then I got busy with my own life after grade 10 and 17 years of marriage.

As I walked into the Legion that day, I realize that I definitely recognized Brian Buss as he was walking from the bar. Then I realize that he was sitting with my friends, Mary and Dennis, who had invited me to join them. As I sat down and was introduced, I told Brian that I had known him in high school. Well, from that moment on, he realized I knew just about everybody he knew. And not only that but I had grown up in Tyndall with not only his first wife, but also his second. His ex sister-in-laws had been in my schools growing up.

Not only that, we discovered that his daughter Rayla was named after Ray Hurrell who when I was little would care for me when my mom and dad went hunting. His wife was Lucy then. But he had married Brian‘s mother-in-law Bea. Hence Papa to Rayla. Small world.

We definitely hit it off. In the next little while if I happened to be in the Beausejour/Tyndall area, he would suddenly kind of show up at different things that I was at and especially if Dennis and Mary were involved. They were definitely manipulating the visits a bit.

This was early January. I was living an hour and a half away at the time. Let’s go for coffee was a long drive for both of us. Come over to watch Jets hockey was a late night out with work the next day. The phone calls increased just to talk. Finally while intermission of the Jets game I asked, “ are we just friends or more?”

Shyly he explained that the last time he had made a move on a friend, he had lost the friend. He explained that he really liked me and enjoyed our time together always. And he didn’t wanna lose that. And even though he was extremely attracted to me, he was extremely careful not to get hurt again. Plus he had come out of two very strained relationships.

And so we remained good friends seeing each other almost once a week until that didn’t quite work for us.

To be continued….

May I be safe. May I be healthy. May I live with ease.