When we set sail on
the Stockholm in July 1957 my parents said goodbye to a brand new, all modern
apartment as well as to their family and friends. They were headed to Canada with 3 children in
tow all under the age of 4 and Mom was pregnant with a fourth child. My father was 27 and the year before he had
reached the pinnacle of his dreams by becoming a “meister” in a new and ultra
modern meat packing house in Odense. He
was the youngest Master in his trade and he so impressed the visiting Canadians
while they toured his plant that he was offered a fantastic job in Canada.
It was 1957 and Denmark was still
recovering from the effects of World War II.
As well, having lived through the war my father was concerned about
raising his children in a country that was vulnerable to invasion. He also thought there would be more
opportunity in Canada. When the
Canadians came knocking at his door he had already been investigating
immigration opportunities in Australia, South Africa and the United States. These countries had all been crossed off his
list because there were dangerous snakes in those countries! Canada was free of snakes.
So they sold all their belongings
and set sail, going around Scotland where Ole’s diapers floated to shore. When my mother finally recovered from her
seasickness she still stayed below deck to take care of the children but she
did venture up to the dining room to eat.
There was a table laden with fruits and a big bowl of shiny red apples
caught her eye. In my mother’s home back
in Aalborg they had several fruit trees in their yard, including 2 apple
trees. Mor adored apples and frequently
would pluck an apple off the tree then taking a big bite the juice would run
down her arm. When she bit into this
glossy American apple it tasted like sand, dry and without flavour.
Mor turned to Far and much like Eve said “It looked so good and it is
only dust.”
She said to me “I was very disappointed.
America can make things look so beautiful, but there’s nothing
underneath.”
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