It was a mate's 65th birthday party that got me over to the Island last weekend. I usually avoid the place. Too many fucking hippies.
My mate lives off-grid. Not a pub within anything less than a helicopter ride away. Cost me $150 to cab there from my hotel. When I got near his place I found his place was on an island in the middle of a lake. Luckily he had a few cargo canoes and paddlers on hand to get his guests safely to his party. No gas motors permitted on his lake and all you get from the locals where gas motors on lakes are permitted on the Island is stares icy as a January bison's from the locals.
I was beginning to question what the fuck I was doing there as I helped paddle across the cold dark but thankfully still lake. Once I could hear the clink of glasses and the popping of corks my attitude began to turn for the better. What Islanders lack in internal combustion motors they possess in an ever ready willingness to party like it is still 1970.
"You made it!" my host, beaming as only a man about to retire can, welcomed me as his wife slid her legendarily long tongue down my throat. "There's pre-rolls in the stash box on the coffee table and dried mushrooms in the jar beside them. Help yourself. And in the kitchen there's enough coke to get a cop a promotion if one paddled over to wreck the party."
There were close to 100 people there not counting the ones already fucking their friend's wives in the large house's many bedrooms. I opened a cider, took a swig of Clonakilty from my flask, choked back some mushrooms and lit a finger size joint.
There was a guitar slinging singer songwriter there to entertain us and I got there just in time for her first set. Islanders, as we all know, punch well above their weight when it comes to being musicians and nothing beats live music at a party. Like Neil Young (an honorary Islander) once reminded us, "Live music is better! Bumper stickers should be issued!"
Highlight for me was a cover of 'Whole Lotta Rosie' done slow as the Cowboy Junkie's cover of 'Sweet Jane'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVGrm7i60QI
Party did not go as long as I expected. What fucking hippies are left are getting old after all. It was still good fun though.
I may have to consider visiting the Island more often than getting over there to attend NDP conventions.
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