Keeping the Peace
By Tom Lessard
Sunday morning. Club Albatross, Huron Park. Hockey game in Detroit.
Most of us arrived at the club early as usual. About three hours ahead of bus departure time.
As there were 45 passengers, quite a bit of alcohol was being taken with us. While we were waiting, it was only natural for us to sample some of it. This went on until bus time.
Where was the bus? Phone calls were made to the bus company. The bus had left the yard on time and should have been here by now. An hour or so later, the bus pulls up to the door. It seems the driver didn’t know where Huron Park was and ended up in Vanastra. This was only the first time he got lost on this excursion.
We loaded onto the bus with only a part of the original supply of refreshments and headed for Sarnia. By the time we crossed the border, we were getting very low on booze.
Just outside of Port Huron, we had the driver pull over so we could restock. With that done, we carried on.
Most of us had never been to the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, so considering the shape some of us were in, it was inevitable that something would happen.
As we were departing the bus, one of the fellows tripped over a case of beer that had been left in the aisle and he broke a finger.
Once inside the arena, a few of us got separated from the group and arrived late to our allotted seats. It seems that one of the older gents slipped on the cement steps and bounced on his butt a number of times before he could get stopped. He was hurt, but how badly wasn’t evident until we were leaving. He had a difficult time the rest of the way home.
The weather was terrible when we left Detroit. A vote was taken to cross at Windsor and visit our friend Scott at the Recess Tavern in Tilbury. He, his wife and staff were very welcoming during our stay. I was hungry and went next door to a restaurant. On my way back to the bar, I slipped on some ice and cracked my head on a brick wall.
We headed out for home and it wasn’t long before the driver, unfamiliar with the area and disoriented because of the weather, became lost again. Jimmy P. had to take over the wheel and drive the rest of the way home.
When we arrived back in Huron Park, most of the guys were met by wives or others to take them home or to the emergency ward in Exeter. Altogether, seven of us sustained some sort of injury. Overall, a great trip. Score of the game? Who knows?!