Peter Ponders Fellowship and Friends

Ever since I was a young boy, I have had no trouble making friends. There are advantages to being easy going, nonjudgmental and able to compose a coherent (albeit brief) sentence without the need to use a script, (or at least, there should be advantages). For instance, I have around 5000 Facebook friends ™. These folks range from musicians through relatives, (crazy and otherwise), through plastic modelers all the way to former coworkers.

I like this, because I get some very interesting items on my newsfeed, as well as a wide cross section of opinion. The only downside I can see is when, as happened recently, I have to wish 22 different people “Happy birthday” on the same day! I wish that I could write about all of you, because many of you have an effect on me and how I think. However, since I can’t, I will focus on my two very best male friends. I am able to spend quality time with them on a regular basis, so here we go.\

One of the secrets to whatever success I have in Life is that I try to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am. I submit these two examples.

I have been friends with Bob Segarini for well over 4 years. Whenever I try to thank him from the new outlook he gave me on Life, he simply says “I opened the door. You chose to walk through it!” Hard to argue with that. It’s always nice to go to a show with him, he knows so many interesting people, and we have many mutual friends who are great company as well. Many happy memories with him, propping up the bar at Cherry Cola’s, watching the movie on “The Wrecking Crew” , hearing him converse with a couple of his musical contemporaries out on the patio at “The Horseshoe Tavern” being just a few of them. I remember one Saturday morning, at 2:45. Bob and I were being driven home, and stopped at my apartment to let me out. We had been drinking with good friends and listening to excellent music, so I had a Great Idea, for as we all know, beer, good friends, excellent music and 2:45 A.M. Saturday compose the petri dish for Great Ideas. I retrieved Reg from Chez Montreuil, so that Bob could meet Him. My cat promptly demonstrated both His prowess in non verbal communication and His general disdain for my Great Idea by urinating on my leg. Fortunately it was not quite warm enough to wear shorts (the weather, I mean). I guess that proves that a memory doesn’t particularly have to be a happy one to be a great one.

A couple of times a month, Mrs Montreuil’s little boy hops the TTC and heads north to Casa Bob. We have a nice visit, discussing music, Life in general, or maybe just watching a movie. And yes, alcohol is consumed. Neither of us are “beat around the bush” types, so the conversation is always interesting and informative. It’s a very pleasant way to spend time, and it’s a pleasure to spend time together, and get my “music fix”, as venues tend to be too noisy to offer much opportunity for meaningful conversation even between sets. We also stay in touch via phone, text and messages.

Which leads me to the “good” Peter M. (I’m the “evil” Peter M, for those keeping score at home). I first became aware of Peter Mossman over 4….. erm, some years ago, when we were both members of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. He is a talented commercial artist and loves painting aircraft. (He did the caricature at the bottom of this column.) We communicate over the phone and via messages every week, and every second Wednesday, I go and visit him. Beer, as always, is an essential part of the rite. His apartment has lots of great aircraft books, paintings in progress and aviation artifacts. Let me pose a question here. Speak up, everybody reading this who has a friend who has an ejection seat from a Canadair Sabre jet fighter in their spare room? I do. The most interesting part of his apartment is the occupant, however. Peter gives me my aviation fix. He is more than willing to share his topical knowledge with me, as I am with him. As an example, he is working on a painting of 3 SE-5s in flight. Examining it, I said “Very cool! You have both shades of P.C. 10 represented in this painting!” He beamed with pleasure, because he had indeed. (Boring note; P.C. 10 was a British World War I aircraft colour. Some paint manufacturer’s batches came out having a Brown/Green hue, others came out looking more Olive. Despite being different shades, both were labelled “P.C. 10” with hilarious results, and this has caused much hairpulling by modeLlers  and artists in the years since. Anyone not a plastic modeLling illuminati, upon viewing the painting, would have said that Peter had made a mistake.) For my part, I think I am fomenting an interest in the mighty F-4 Phantom in Mr Mossman’s breast.

These are two great guys, and our visits offer us a most pleasant respite from the cares of the world on a regular basis. They are both accomplished in their chosen fields of endeavour. They are both very proud of their respective families, whose members often come up in our conversations. They are both smart, plain speaking people who both possess a great sense of humour. They are both my friends. Love you guys.

See you soon

=PJM=

A confirmed Cat person, Peter dabbled with being a water boy, a paper boy and an altar boy before finally settling on a career with the Canadian federal government.  Once, in his youth, he ate a Dutch  oven full of mashed potatoes to win a 5 cent bet with his beloved sister Mary’s boyfriend. (Of course he was much younger and a nickel went a lot farther!) He has retired to palatial “Chez Montreuil”, which he shares with his diabetic little buddy Reg the Cat. He is blessed to have his dear Lois in his life. He is not only a plastic aircraft modeller, but a proud “rivet counter”. Military aviation and live music are among other interests of his, and he tries to get out to as many shows as he can. He will be here for your enlightenment whenever the stars align. Profile photo courtesy of Pat Blythe, caricature courtesy of Peter Mossman.