This story is part fact and part fiction because it happened a long time ago and some of the details are a little fuzzy but the brunt of it is true. In the early 1970s I was working for a Yellowknife company Precambrian Mining Services Limited. The summer exploration season was wrapping up early and they asked me if I would go to Norman Wells for a few months to help with an expediting service they were running there, primarily for the oil and gas industry.
I said “Sure, why not.” I would be working with an older fellow I knew Cal; he would be the brains and I would supply the brawn. We were on 24-hour call, and it was a learning experience.
One day a big food order arrived for a client, so I loaded it onto the truck and then went over to the twin otter that would fly it out to the camp. As it was being loaded a case of ice-cream slipped out of the loaders hands and fell to the tarmac with a big wump. It split the cardboard box and dented a few of the containers. The cook said, “OK that goes to the dump,” so it was put back onto my truck.
As I was driving back to our base, I was wondering what I would do with a case of ice-cream. We certainly didn’t need it and I am really opposed to throwing good food into the dump. It was a beautiful sunny fall afternoon. In a vacant lot some kids were playing with a soccer ball and there were a few mothers with strollers. I pulled the truck over, got out and shouted, “Who wants ice cream.” Then I handed out tubs of ice and in short order all the ice cream was gone. Both kids and mothers headed home to get bowls and spoons. Problem solved.
A couple of weeks later another food order came in for a camp that was going to reopen. Along with it came two company reps and the theory was I was supposed to store it all for a day or two. I had to unload the truck and store the frozen goods in the freezer and the other stuff inside because it was dropping below zero at night by then.
Things kept getting delayed and delayed, something about problems getting permits approved. After about a week the two reps were returning home and when I asked about what to do with the food order, I got what I had learned was the usual reply. Take all the perishable stuff to the dump and get rid of it and store as much of the other stuff as you can while head office sorted out the permitting, they needed.
I went to back the truck up to the door of our storage space for easier loading. I saw a fellow walking by who we would hire occasionally, so I waved him over. I asked if he wanted some food. He said yes so, we went in to sort the pile of food out. Cases of milk, eggs, bread, fruit, and vegetables all went out to the truck plus some frozen goods because I needed to keep one of the freezers empty for other things. This included another case of ice cream and a couple cases of meat.
It was far too much food for one family to deal with, but he assured me that he had relatives, friends and neighbours to share with. So, we drove to a trail that led down to the river and a cluster of cabins. Soon a stream of people appeared to unload the truck. Including some of the kids I had given ice cream to before. I made sure they got another tub of the stuff. Soon the truck was empty. Once again, the excess food problem was solved.
Years later I was back in the Wells, helping with a fossil hunt. One day a fellow came up to me and said “Hey, are you the ice-cream guy from years ago.” I nodded and we both laughed. He said getting that ice-cream as a kid, was something he would always remember.
Today’s actions are tomorrow’s memories.