Bell High School, Ottawa, 1965-66

Bell High School, Ottawa 1965-66

I had finished grade 11 in Quebec in Bagotville. This was equivalent to grade 12 in Ontario.  Being the last year of school in Quebec, I was headed back to Ottawa that fall to finish grade 13 at Bell High School, and to live with my dad’s brother and his wife, Shaun and Pat and their little ones, Brett and Judson. Pat and Shaun were wonderful parents. My IQ went up 20 points just living with them and getting away from my punitive father.   

Judson was on the shy side of two and he had an admirable set of chompers. He was going through a biting stage, unfortunately for him.  One day I was sitting reading him a story.  He was all curled up on my lap and we were cuddling away when all of a sudden he caught sight of my arm that apparently was a little to close to his choppers. He couldn’t resist the temptation to sink them into my arm. It hurt! Without thinking I swiftly bit into his soft, smooth, tender forearm.  He was speechless and breathless until he could let the scream out.  I did feel rather bad, biting a baby, but I didn’t have much time to assess the situation. It was a crime of passion. Even though it cured him of biting, I was forever sorry.

Around Christmas I remember the principal calling me to his office to discuss my courses.  The 36 in physics must have been a clue that I was in over my head taking sciences: biology, chemistry, physics, languages, English and French.  All this changing schools and provinces didn’t help.

I left his office with a new course outline: Latin, French, Biology and English, each worth 2 credits.  If I could pull this off, I’d get to University. I suspect Pat and Shaun were behind this change.  I had to work hard but I did it.

And, I got to see more of Art.

We wanted to get married at the end of high school but my father wouldn’t hear of it. I had to get educated.  Ironically, as I found out years later, they always thought Karen would be the one to go on to University. They were actually quite surprised when it was me. So their argument was hollow.  

I went on to Carleton and Art went away to Western and our relationship disintegrated. I was to miss him for years, even after I got married.