Pictures Of Another Time 5

I call today's picture...my "Unhappy Camper" picture. It was taken very early on in my
musical career. The place in Toronto...had a "Caribbean" decor...the band playing there
was made up of white Canadians...in "Caribbean" costumes...and I...was the closest
thing the owners could get to a "Caribbean" person...who sang and played guitar. The
band went on to become a well known "Irish" band...and I...well...that is indeed a long story. I call it my "Unhappy Camper" picture...because even early on...earning my living doing "music"...I knew deep down...that I could never be a lounge or bistro
singer permanently. I've known people who became trapped on that scene for life...
having passed the point of "no return"...without being able to wriggle out of it. I am not blaming them for that...I know how easily it can happen...and it's my writing of songs...hardly engaged in at the time of this picture...that finally helped me to escape the low lit...stale smoke and alcohol vapoured...dens of the world. My "not smiling on stage"...because I didn't feel there was anything to smile about...is very
evident in this picture. I think our "unhappy camper" phases in life...if we recognise that's what they are...and resolve to find a way out of them...can be
turned into lesson learning opportunities...and lead on to better times.....Quester.