Some Thoughts Gathered While Hurtling Through the Air at High Speeds In a Large Tin Can

• Just this morning there was an article in the Vancouver Sun about being more understanding of screaming babies on airplanes, and I’ve been trying to take it to heart. My regular intolerance is being displaced by the warm glow of human compassion.

However......

The screaming kid 2 rows up is clearly 3 or 4 years old, and thus does not qualify as a baby. No, it is just a snot-nosed brat who needs to stop blubbering.

The other 2 screaming kids get a pass, they’re actual babies.

• It’s interesting that I’m surrounded by a triumvirate of aural terrorists (can I type terrorist while I’m on a plane?), I’m wondering if I’ll be encountering a lot of 3’s on this journey.

• If you’re ever in an emergency and need all humour and laughter banished instantly, ‘Dinner For Schmucks’ will do the job. Guaranteed. Sheesh.

• As I grow exhausted of being on this plane after only 4 hours, my mind turns to the 25 consecutive hours I’ll spend on the Hound in 5 days. I think I can safely file that plan under ‘Things That Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time’.

• As the overgrown baby continues his reign of terror, I balance my annoyance with the pleasure I get from exchanging ‘Kill Me Now’ looks with my fellow victims.

• Also pleasurable are the fake smiles everyone gives the Parents of the Year when they try to get down the aisle. The aisle being blocked by little Damien.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Over-Tired

Who's on the jet set?

Nothing projects the image of success and competence like a snazzy laptop/carry-on bag. Clearly everyone who's path I cross will marvel at the power and influence I obviously wield.

Sigh.

Considering the fact that I don't anticipate getting any kind of sleep for about 36 hours, you'd think I'd make sure I got a good night's rest before I set out.

Sigh, again.

So, why Terry Fox?

This past year as I promoted 'Aim for the Roses', I was surprised by how many people assumed that Ken Carter was a childhood hero of mine. In reality I didn't even hear of Ken until I was 30.

But it got me thinking: Who was my childhood hero?

Luke Skywalker, for sure. Most of my Mom's broom handles were wrapped in electrical tape and coloured green with a magic marker or highlighter. I spent a lot of time in the summer of 1983 wearing one black glove, and desperately trying to harness the force.

My real-life hero as a child, without question, was Terry Fox.

Never being into sports, I was short on real idols until the summer of 1980.

So when Mark McGregor and I were talking about a piece that would examine the mythical stages of the hero's journey as laid out by Joseph Campbell, it didn't take long for my brain to connect the dots.

The 'Plan', And I Use the Term Loosley

The rough outline for the next 3 days is something like this:

-All day today in airports and on airplanes
-Arrive in St. John's NFLD at 1am tomorrow
-Proceed to George St., where my plan is roughly 'see what happens'
-Field recording at 4:30am at the place where Terry Fox dipped his leg in the Atlantic (I'm 90% sure there will need to be some trespassing involved)
-Spend the day on the lonely stretch of highway that began the Marathon
-Assume some opportunities and accommodation will 'present themselves'
-Leave St. John's after 36 hours and head to Montreal, with a 5 hour layover in Deer Lake