The first day Lili and I were on Cortes was for her interview. It was in July. The school district convened its college of cardinals for the process. Parents and staff were invited to join in, too. Many did.
Two questions/remarks remain in my memory as testament to the uniqueness of this speck in the sea. A parent asked, "How do you feel about plastic cutlery?" Later an inquisitor from the district, I don't recall which one but he was wearing a tie, said, "You'll fit right in with that hole in your bumper. Don't fix it." Everyone in the group, all off-islanders, laughed and laughed: "Ha, ha, ha" and "ha,ha, ha..." they said. "Ha, ha," I said.
I assumed that the traverse crack in the windshield running its width gave us Cortes cache, too. Good, as I had no intention of fixing either. They were each about 3 years-old and neither affected the road-worthiness of the Big E. Or so, in my naivete, I thought.
Saturday the real world - at least the part of it that clings to BC's very sticky fingers - sucked that naivete and most of my oxygen right out of me through my wallet. Although most people, including the insurance agent who "educated" me on what I would have to do to switch my registration, think the out-of-province inspection is all about safety. It is not. It is a comprehensive, bow to stern and gunwale to gunwale job. And, there's 20 day window to do what they indicate you must do. Otherwise, you get to pay the $150 all over again. We have traded car repair for holiday travel. Miss us?
Who's laughing now? The auto body/glass guy(s) and the fellow selling them both new boats. Ha.
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