Norm Strandebo was one of those genuinely good people, he had a ton of friends and I was fortunately one of them.
I have three short stories to tell, the main characters are Normy and I. They are true stories no embellishments, I hope you find them amusings.
#1. I was sitting in the St. Alice beer parlor one saturday, you could call it late morning or early afternoon. I was sipping a beer trying to rid myself of the night before. You entered the St. Alice at street level and once they had opened the main door and locked it out of the way, there was a short entrance and then two swinging doors like you would see in western movie saloons. As I was sitting there minding my own, the two doors swung open and there stood Norm, he was peering into the darkened room trying to see who I was. It was sunny out and he was having a hard time making me out, and as you might know, Norm did not have the best eyesight. Then he yelled out Willcox is that you, I answered it is me Norm. He came down to my table and said what the heck are you doing in here on a day like this, I answered, just having a beer Norm, he said lets get out of here and head out to Whyte Cliff. We had a spot at Whyte Cliff with a wonderful view and private, you went down the cliff a little way and off to the left where there was a flat spot that was over hung, keeping you out of sight from those above. We went to the liquor store just down Second St. from the St. Alice and picked up two cases of beer. Norm said give me your case and I will throw them in the back seat, I said Norm I don't feel good about that, have you got a safer place, he said I will put them in the trunk, I got this bad feeling Norm, I said, can you think of a better place, he thought for a minute and said I know where, and he opened up the hood. Norm had at that time a big Ford or Merc. I can't remember exactly, but there was about 18in between the rad and grill and there is where we put the beer. We were driving along Marine Drive, and guess what, a cop car pulled in behind us and put on his lights. Norm pulled over to the side and out this cop came and up to Norm's door, and let me tell you, this cop was not a happy camper, he had a mad on our something up his butt I don't know plus he did not give a reason for pulling us over. Then he barked out where you going, out to Whyte Ciff, Norm answered. Get out of your car I am going to search it. He went through the front, then he searched through the back seat. Then he ordered again, open up your trunk, and he searched through that. Norm and I were getting nervous, was he going to crawl under the car next and then ask Norm to open the hood? No, thank goodness he didn't, he said get in your car and get out of here. We jumped back in the car and Norm started it up and looked over at me with a big Norm grin and said, Ted how the hell did you know, I just had a feeling Norm!! Side note: in those days when you bought liquor or beer from the liquor store you had to take it straight home.
#2 This story starts in John's Pool Hall [A side note: I got my post grad education in the pool halls and beer parlours of North Van<smile>]. John's Pool Hall was on Lonsdale just north off fifteenth on the east side. Norm and I had just finished a game and Norm said Ted lets go over to Dewhursts, Dewhursts was a convenience store across the street from the pool hall. I think I was looking at the center fold in that new magazine that was in the book stand and Norm was over at the counter looking in the glass case. He said Ted come here a minute, so over I went and he said Ted see that big chocolate cake, I said yea I see it, so what, he said lets buy it and I said what for, and he said so we can eat it, what else. Then Norm said when your at home and there is cake what do you get one piece, right, I said yea right, and here we get half a cake each. I can remember buying the cake going around the corner, sitting on the bus stop bench, Norm breaking the cake in half with his big hands, and there we were eating half a cake each. I don't remember how many times we did this until we realized maybe one piece is enough.
#3 This the last story, happens in school. I was sitting in home class one morning before the morning buzzer when in walks Normy. Norm had missed the first couple of days of school and this was his first day. He said your in this class too thats good at least I know somebody. We had Mr. Sulymka as our home room teacher and Norm asked me what is he like, I answered I hear him coming down the hall, you will see in a minute. If you don't know Mr. Sulymka I will try to describe him to you. He was on the short side, stocky, broad shoulder, built like a tank. He was square jawed had a thin nose, heavy eye-browed and deep set piercing eyes, all this and a very commanding voice. Nobody, but nobody, screwed around in Mr. Sulymka's class. I am using a little embellisnment here to describe Mr. Sulymka but he was an intimidating person, and I did have respect for him, I am just trying to keep it amusing, the way I remember it. Anyway he entered the room looked around at everyboby and then with that commanding voice started the class, when he turned to write on the blackboard Norm wispered Ted,Ted, I wispered back, what Norm and he said this guy scares the living crap out of me, I answered you are not the only one Norm. If I remember correctly everything worked out fine, if nothing else Mr. Sulymka was a good teacher and fair, you just didn't mess around in his class.
See you later Normy you were one good and fun guy!! Ted
Love the stories from Ted Willcox! Those are the stories you want to hear......happy ones......the best way to remember someone who is no longer with us. When I was working for Canadian Forest Products in the late "90's", Norm was working at Seaspan and we talked on the phone a few times. Great to get "connected" once again after school days. Rest in peace Norm!
Edwin Willcox
Norm Strandebo was one of those genuinely good people, he had a ton of friends and I was fortunately one of them.
I have three short stories to tell, the main characters are Normy and I. They are true stories no embellishments, I hope you find them amusings.
#1. I was sitting in the St. Alice beer parlor one saturday, you could call it late morning or early afternoon. I was sipping a beer trying to rid myself of the night before. You entered the St. Alice at street level and once they had opened the main door and locked it out of the way, there was a short entrance and then two swinging doors like you would see in western movie saloons. As I was sitting there minding my own, the two doors swung open and there stood Norm, he was peering into the darkened room trying to see who I was. It was sunny out and he was having a hard time making me out, and as you might know, Norm did not have the best eyesight. Then he yelled out Willcox is that you, I answered it is me Norm. He came down to my table and said what the heck are you doing in here on a day like this, I answered, just having a beer Norm, he said lets get out of here and head out to Whyte Cliff. We had a spot at Whyte Cliff with a wonderful view and private, you went down the cliff a little way and off to the left where there was a flat spot that was over hung, keeping you out of sight from those above. We went to the liquor store just down Second St. from the St. Alice and picked up two cases of beer. Norm said give me your case and I will throw them in the back seat, I said Norm I don't feel good about that, have you got a safer place, he said I will put them in the trunk, I got this bad feeling Norm, I said, can you think of a better place, he thought for a minute and said I know where, and he opened up the hood. Norm had at that time a big Ford or Merc. I can't remember exactly, but there was about 18in between the rad and grill and there is where we put the beer. We were driving along Marine Drive, and guess what, a cop car pulled in behind us and put on his lights. Norm pulled over to the side and out this cop came and up to Norm's door, and let me tell you, this cop was not a happy camper, he had a mad on our something up his butt I don't know plus he did not give a reason for pulling us over. Then he barked out where you going, out to Whyte Ciff, Norm answered. Get out of your car I am going to search it. He went through the front, then he searched through the back seat. Then he ordered again, open up your trunk, and he searched through that. Norm and I were getting nervous, was he going to crawl under the car next and then ask Norm to open the hood? No, thank goodness he didn't, he said get in your car and get out of here. We jumped back in the car and Norm started it up and looked over at me with a big Norm grin and said, Ted how the hell did you know, I just had a feeling Norm!! Side note: in those days when you bought liquor or beer from the liquor store you had to take it straight home.
Edwin Willcox
#2 This story starts in John's Pool Hall [A side note: I got my post grad education in the pool halls and beer parlours of North Van<smile>]. John's Pool Hall was on Lonsdale just north off fifteenth on the east side. Norm and I had just finished a game and Norm said Ted lets go over to Dewhursts, Dewhursts was a convenience store across the street from the pool hall. I think I was looking at the center fold in that new magazine that was in the book stand and Norm was over at the counter looking in the glass case. He said Ted come here a minute, so over I went and he said Ted see that big chocolate cake, I said yea I see it, so what, he said lets buy it and I said what for, and he said so we can eat it, what else. Then Norm said when your at home and there is cake what do you get one piece, right, I said yea right, and here we get half a cake each. I can remember buying the cake going around the corner, sitting on the bus stop bench, Norm breaking the cake in half with his big hands, and there we were eating half a cake each. I don't remember how many times we did this until we realized maybe one piece is enough.
#3 This the last story, happens in school. I was sitting in home class one morning before the morning buzzer when in walks Normy. Norm had missed the first couple of days of school and this was his first day. He said your in this class too thats good at least I know somebody. We had Mr. Sulymka as our home room teacher and Norm asked me what is he like, I answered I hear him coming down the hall, you will see in a minute. If you don't know Mr. Sulymka I will try to describe him to you. He was on the short side, stocky, broad shoulder, built like a tank. He was square jawed had a thin nose, heavy eye-browed and deep set piercing eyes, all this and a very commanding voice. Nobody, but nobody, screwed around in Mr. Sulymka's class. I am using a little embellisnment here to describe Mr. Sulymka but he was an intimidating person, and I did have respect for him, I am just trying to keep it amusing, the way I remember it. Anyway he entered the room looked around at everyboby and then with that commanding voice started the class, when he turned to write on the blackboard Norm wispered Ted,Ted, I wispered back, what Norm and he said this guy scares the living crap out of me, I answered you are not the only one Norm. If I remember correctly everything worked out fine, if nothing else Mr. Sulymka was a good teacher and fair, you just didn't mess around in his class.
See you later Normy you were one good and fun guy!! Ted
Sheila Brown (Ward)
And these are stories that only you could tell! Thanks
Margaret Dance (Chalmers)
Ted, thanks for those wonderful stories.
Mavis Rollingson (Creech)
Love the stories from Ted Willcox! Those are the stories you want to hear......happy ones......the best way to remember someone who is no longer with us. When I was working for Canadian Forest Products in the late "90's", Norm was working at Seaspan and we talked on the phone a few times. Great to get "connected" once again after school days. Rest in peace Norm!