Page 185 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland
P. 185
Chapter Thirty-Two
imagine, the group moves on to Yellowknife, North West
Territories, and then down the Pacific coast to the Queen
Charlotte Islands. This stop is the absolute highlight of the
tour for me. These islands possess biological and cultural
treasures that are duplicated nowhere else on earth. They
harbour the largest sea lion population in BC and are home
to whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea otters. What an
unforgettable experience; something profoundly spiritual for
me. I feel enriched and renewed.
~~~
Our Northern expedition is such a hit with the Canadian
Defense Headquarters we are invited to take the same show
on a month-long overseas tour. Our destinations: Germany,
Cyprus, Egypt and Israel. I’ll arrive home just in time for
Christmas. This is going to be the trip of a lifetime!
Most everyone on the tour is single and by the end, nearly
everyone is sleeping with someone. Me included. I willingly
partake in copious amounts of free alcohol which lead me to
the bed (and intentions) of a much older man. He is, in fact,
the one in charge of the entire tour. Major Howard, with the
National Defense Headquarters.
The ‘wild girl’ part of me soon embraces the whole ‘live in
the moment’ philosophy. At first, I feel tentative and shy. But
since most of the French dancers have little or no inhibitions, I
follow their lead. By the end of the tour, I don’t appear to have
many left either. The ‘good girl’ who has never dared push any
boundaries (except for Jake and that was such a quiet, intense
relationship) is suddenly off the rails! Plain and simple, I am
rebelling.
After a lifetime of responsibility, now is my time to sew
171