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A movie poster for "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" in 1984. Source: https://www.lyrictheatre.com/past-show/9753-free-movie-summer-indiana-jones-and-the-temple-of-doom (May be subject to copyright) |
Though I haven’t seen the latest Indiana Jones movie, just hearing the name “Indiana Jones” takes me back to junior high and a friend who was pretty close in junior high, and I maintained a connection with for a couple years after high school.
That’s what can happen when you change schools, your horizons broaden, and you meet different people.
Junior high confidential
For almost 10 years, I went to the same school. From pre-school – there was no Kindergarten until I was in Grade 1 – to six years of elementary school right through three years of junior high, I went to the same school – St, Joseph’s School in Coaldale.
For almost 10 years, I went to the same school. From pre-school – there was no Kindergarten until I was in Grade 1 – to six years of elementary school right through three years of junior high, I went to the same school – St, Joseph’s School in Coaldale.
Our class was big, sometimes up to 32 students in elementary school. That got even bigger in Grade 7 when three country schools closed – McNally, Sunnyside, and Readymade. A lot of the students came to St. Joe’s. the odd student also came over from John Davidson, the public elementary school. The result was the grade was split into two classes.
Friends
One of the guys who came over from John Davidson was Shawn Kingston. We quickly became friends, and started hanging out together. We both liked science fiction and fantasy, reading, and some sports. He really got into “Dungeons and Dragons”, and I would have too, but the guys who played all lived in town and played after school or in the evening. I had to go home on the bus and was trapped on the farm, except for the occasional sleepover.
One of the guys who came over from John Davidson was Shawn Kingston. We quickly became friends, and started hanging out together. We both liked science fiction and fantasy, reading, and some sports. He really got into “Dungeons and Dragons”, and I would have too, but the guys who played all lived in town and played after school or in the evening. I had to go home on the bus and was trapped on the farm, except for the occasional sleepover.
We started going over to the high school for shop class in Grade 8, and we’d often stop at Shawn’s house to eat our lunch. He had a microwave that made the Kaiser buns with cheddar cheese my Mom packed for lunch just that much better.
I also went over to a birthday party of his, where his mom, Marilyn Kingston, made these amazing personalized pizzas and we watched “The Road Warrior” afterwards.
We also played basketball together, and were the tallest guys on our team the St. Joseph’s Jayhawks, who became the Jaguars in Grade 9.
One time, we were at a tournament in Stirling and a guy walked past us, stopped, and looked back and forth between us.
“I am trying to figure out which is which,” he said. “You guys are twins right?”
We both laughed and, when we told him we weren’t even related, he couldn’t believe it.
Shawn wasn’t like a brother to me, but he was a good friend.
Sleep over
Every so often, I would sleep over at his place. Usually, I would stay after school on Friday, and go home on Saturday. My parents went to Lethbridge Saturdays, so they would just swing by and pick me up. Alternatively, sometimes my Dad would come to town and pick me up.
Every so often, I would sleep over at his place. Usually, I would stay after school on Friday, and go home on Saturday. My parents went to Lethbridge Saturdays, so they would just swing by and pick me up. Alternatively, sometimes my Dad would come to town and pick me up.
Then, one night, I was at Shawn’s and was phoning for a ride. As I was talking to my Mom, Shawn’s Dad got my attention.
“We’ll give you a ride home,” he said.
I passed that message on to my Mom.
“After we go to a movie and get something to eat,” he said. That just sounded awesome to me.
I passed that on to my Mom and she was fine with that too.
Victor Kingston was a nice man. He was funny, loud, gregarious and very kind to me.
Night out
So Shawn, his younger brother Craig, and I piled into Mr. Kingston’s truck and we went to Lethbridge. I will always remember the Kingston brothers both wearing camouflage. Odd what you remember.
So Shawn, his younger brother Craig, and I piled into Mr. Kingston’s truck and we went to Lethbridge. I will always remember the Kingston brothers both wearing camouflage. Odd what you remember.
“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” had just come to town, and Mr. Kingston bought the tickets. I am still grateful for that.
The movie was the much awaited prequel to “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, and it was good. In fact, I saw it again in the theatre with some others. But it was not great, and definitely not as good as “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, or its sequel “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”.
In fact, I remember more about the night out than the movie.
Afterwards, Mr. Kingston asked me if I liked Chinese Food. I sure did.
So we went to this restaurant on the north side, on 13th Street to be exact, called Henry’s, and had a great meal. Mr. Kingston ordered two glasses of orange pop, I remember that. The only other person I ever remember doing that was my Dad.
We talked and we laughed and I just remember thinking how great a night it was when they dropped me off at the farm.
Evolving friendship
When high school started, initially we all kind of hung out in our junior high groups. Soon, everyone began to spread out and we began to mix, mingle and become one big class.
When high school started, initially we all kind of hung out in our junior high groups. Soon, everyone began to spread out and we began to mix, mingle and become one big class.
Through Grade 10, I still hung out with Shawn. I got a ghetto blaster for Christmas in Grade 10, and one of the first tapes I bought was from Shawn. It was “An Innocent Man” by Billy Joel. He had really got into heavy metal so he was looking to get rid of it, so he sold it to me for $8.
He had always wanted to play on the football team, and he did. In first semester of Grade 11, the cheerleaders were putting on a fundraising spaghetti supper and I remember going with Shawn and his bestie Mike.
After that, we began to go in separate directions. He got a job, played football, started dating and, because he had a licence, had much more mobility. I started hanging out with Chris Vining, who quickly became my best friend, Mat Ebner who had always been my bestie, and some others.
In Grade 12, Shawn and I had a couple classes together. I sat behind him in Social 30 first thing in the morning first semester, so we chatted regularly. We also had Math 30 together second semester, and he drove out to the farm one night for some math help.
We’d also gone to one bush party together first term with our mutual friend Dave Perlich, out at Indian Hill.
Beyond that, we really didn’t hang out together anymore.
Yet we did have an odd bond.
I recall writing him a letter from Edmonton in my first year of university in 1987-1988, and running into him a couple times at Alley Oops, a bar we went to in Lethbridge after first year of university in the summer of 1988.
The last time I ever saw him was the summer of 1989. I was home for a visit, looked him up, and we went to see “Batman” in Lethbridge.
I haven’t seen him since, but he did post condolences on Facebook when my Dad died.
Parting thoughts
The memory is a funny thing. I don’t often think of Shawn anymore because it has been more than 34 years since I last saw him. We are Facebook friends, but we don’t message.
The memory is a funny thing. I don’t often think of Shawn anymore because it has been more than 34 years since I last saw him. We are Facebook friends, but we don’t message.
Yet, whenever I see Indiana Jones, I recall that night his family took me out for a great night in the city. It was so very kind and generous.
And for that, I will be eternally grateful.
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