Memories – By the River

2021-04-11

Wrestling Isolation and Winning

Professional wrestling has been a part of my life since as long as I can remember. Some of my childhood friends are related to some very well-known wrestlers. Our community was a wrestling hotbed.

I remember shortly after moving into a low-rise apartment building when I was 7 years young, a caretaker called me “Bobo Brazil”. He asked me if I knew who he was. I had no clue, but he went on to explain that Bobo was a famous professional wrestler.

When I was 11 years young, I received my very own television set for my bedroom. It was there that I discovered professional wrestling on Saturday mornings. It became tradition for me to watch wrestling in the morning and Toronto Maple Leafs hockey in the evening.

I was immensely entertained by the antics of the “Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant and became a fan. At that time, I believed that wrestling was the real deal and would get really upset whenever I watched Boogie Woogie Man get jumped by villains such as “Russian Bear” Ivan Kolof and others. I remember wanting to head downtown to Maple Leaf Gardens to help Boogie Woogie Man.

During this early period, I became a huge fan of not only Boogie Woogie Man, but also “Rowdy Roddy” Piper, Black Jack Mulligan, and the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair. I was hooked and could never miss an episode.

I recall going shopping with Mom and in addition to my usual plea to go to the book store, I also wanted to go to a variety store in Towne & Country Square to buy wrestling magazines. This store had the best selection. I would get lost trying to decide which one to buy since I could not buy them all.

As children, we wrestled a lot in our apartment complex. There was this grassy patch next to the swimming pool which made a good wrestling ring. On one side were steel rails separating the grass from the sidewalk, and the other side was a high chain-link fence securing the swimming pool. We would toss each other into the fence and bounce back as if hitting the ropes in a wrestling ring.

Over the years I would learn that some of my friends are related to Whipper Billy Watson, and others were nephews to Rocky Johnson (late father to The Rock). As wrestling grew bigger in pop culture, so did the fan base on our block.

I remember watching the big pay-per-view events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, etc with groups of friends at different houses. Everyone on our block was into wrestling. The children, teenagers, adults, and grandparents. It truly entertained everybody and brought us all together.

I never stopped watching wrestling and watch it to this very day. In the year 2020, the world was afflicted by a serious pandemic which pretty much ruined most of our lives. Millions have been thrust into isolation due to various lock downs brought on by the raging virus pandemic.

Covid-19 has destroyed many lives. It has killed millions and wreaked havoc on millions more. One often-overlooked side-effect is the impact on mental health caused by isolation. People are simply losing their minds being unable to socialize as they would like to.

During the first wave of the pandemic, everything was locked down for our own safety and to avoid the hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. This also meant that nobody was allowed to attend professional wrestling events. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) was forced to put on shows in an empty arena.

I found these shows to be quite awful. The Superstars were great as always, but not hearing fan noise really reinforced the feeling of isolation I was experiencing from being under lockdown.

WrestleMania 36 had to be pre-recorded as they could not have fans in attendance. For me, this was the most boring WrestleMania of all time. There were a few bright spots such as The UnderTaker vs AJ Styles in a cinematic match filmed at a graveyard and Sammy Zane vs Daniel Bryan in an empty arena. The chatter throughout the match was golden.

By summer, WWE had created the ThunderDome. This was an arena were large video monitors were set up in the stands in place of fans. These screens would broadcast fans who were at home watching while on webcam. Fan noise was piped in via pre-recorded sounds from past live events. For me, the programs became watchable once again.

Vaccines have finally been rolling out across the United States. Sports are beginning to accept fans in attendance once again. Our Toronto Blue Jays have been relocated to Florida due to travel restrictions. They have been playing in stadiums in Texas, New York, etc to live crowds. The Toronto Raptors are also based in Florida. The NBA, NHL, and MLB have been allowing fans to return in some jurisdictions meanwhile in Canada, everything remains off limits due to a slow vaccine roll-out.

For WrestleMania 37, WWE was allowed to have live fans in attendance for the first time in over a year. The show was to be held over two nights due to the limit in the number of fans that may attend. They were allowed 25,000 on each night.

The show started off with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon addressing the audience and the entire wrestling roster. It was greet to Mr. McMahon again. He has hardly been seen on television the past few years. The most recent prior to this event was for The Undertaker’s retirement several months back. He looked frail and elderly and it broke my heart. At WrestleMania, he look much better.

Seeing both a live audience and Vince McMahon nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was a sign of a return to normalcy. It was wonderful to sit at home with a pizza, some IPA beers, watching WrestleMania on my big screen TV.

The show was delayed 30 minutes due to rain, but in the end, they put on a fantastic show which made me forget all about the pandemic and isolation. I sat here cheering, laughing, and having a grand old time.

I would like to that the entire professional wrestling industry for putting their lives on the line to entertain us over all these years. The entire industry deserves a round of applause.

Make sure to visit the official website of the WWE by clicking the following link:
World Wrestling Entertainment

2021-02-192023-05-21

My Commute

TTC Subway Train at St. Patrick Station (c) 2011 Charles Dunlevy

We were stranded in the tunnel for maybe 20 minutes. The train was PACKED to capacity this morning. The air conditioning and lights shut off because the power supply was cut. Through the darkness, I could see a light above every other door. I was fortunate to be seated at the front of the first car.

I kept thinking about the people in the middle and the back cars who probably did not know exactly what was happening because the announcements were scarce and kept breaking up. From where I was sitting, I could hear the operator speaking on the telephone. Hearing that kept me from panicking because I knew what was going on. He was not happy because apparently we got screwed over. I could hear him telling the person on the other end of the phone that they should have let him reverse to Bloor Station before cutting out the power.

This ordeal felt scary because the section of tunnel between Union and Bloor is the narrowest in the entire system. It is the original section from the 1950s and does not have proper ventilation. The tunnels on the newer Sheppard line are wide and spacious. There are platform edges along the entire tunnel so that people could walk safely. There are also more lights and good ventilation. The old Yonge line had no such feature in its original section between Bloor and Union stations.

It started to get hot on the train. People were taking off their shirts and jackets. A man knocked on the operator’s cab door and asked, “Can we get some air in here?” The driver opened his door and explained that there was no power on the train. He had a small fan in his car and left the door open so that we can get a little air. He also opened his window.

They claimed there was an unauthorized person on the tracks at Wellesley Station. I could hear them telling the operator that supervisors were walking the tracks from Bloor towards Wellesley. I suppose that was in order to catch the person. I could hear them walking in the tunnel. I heard a voice yell, “careful, don’t fall there.” I saw a supervisor approach the front of our train and start speaking with the operator. He then slowly continued his way towards Wellesley. Another supervisor appeared and did the same. I quietly asked, “why don’t they walk faster?”

The power was finally restored and were cleared to go. We entered Wellesley Station to see the platform packed with people. The operator said, “They let out the train that was ahead of us.” There was no way those people could fit onto our train. There was a supervisor on the platform. I overheard the operator say to him, “but I thought you said there was a person on track level?” Right there I knew that they had lied to him. I have no idea what happened but it seems to me that nobody was on the tracks.

We pulled into College Station and shortly after the guard warned people to stay clear of the doors, the train did not move. The doors opened again and the operator got out of his cab real fast and I heard him say, “I’m gonna have to check on door number …” as he took off. I gave up at that point and left the train. As I approached the exit, they gave the all-clear but I kept walking. I was not going back into that mess.

This post was originally written September 22, 2011 by Charles Dunlevy

2020-10-19

Fear of Flying

As a child, I had a fear of flying. Looking back, I can say it was an irrational fear. When I think about it, I believe that this fear came from watching movies involving plane crashes. It did not help that as I grew older, I was drawn to news articles about plane crashes. The thing that I feared most was drawing my attention via headlines.

Air Canada Airbus A319 – My first flight
BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I have always been fascinated by the world. I love reading about different countries and cultures. Geography was one of if not my favourite courses in school. I love maps. From childhood to this very day, I can often be found staring at maps. You know the old saying, “Google is your friend”? Well at times for me, “Google Maps is my friend.” I love perusing Google Maps and Google Earth. I also use KakaoMaps, Line, and Open Streetmap.

The older I became, the more curious I was about different countries and societies. I was blessed to have been born in the very diverse city of Toronto. Toronto is home to speakers of over 180 languages! I grew up with friends who they or their parents came from other countries.

There is only so much one can learn about different lands and cultures without truly experiencing them in the flesh. I dreamed of traveling but feared flying. This was akin to a tug of war within my very being.

In 2008, a dear friend of mine informed me that she would be returning home to Nova Scotia. We promised to keep in contact after her departure. While chatting one night, she mentioned something about the ocean to which I informed her that I had never seen the ocean. She excitedly demanded that I go to see her in Nova Scotia so that I may see the ocean. I could not say no.

My friend left for Nova Scotia soon after. She promised to text me as soon as she arrived. She was taking a bus because she had lost her identification and could not board an airplane.

I waited and waited for her text. I am the type of person who worries about those I care about. Twenty-six hours later, I received a text. She had arrived home and was safe and sound with her parents.

I was amazed to find out that the bus trip takes so long. Nova Scotia sure is far from Ontario. When I agreed to visit Nova Scotia, I had planned to take the train or bus. Discovering that the bus ride was so long, I realized that a trip there and back would use up two of my vacation days. There was no way I could waste so much time.

I searched online for plane trips and was amazed to discover that flights to Nova Scotia only took two hours! As a numbers guy, I just could not avoid the elephant in the room. I needed to fly. I feared flying. Something had to change and soon.

I started searching the Interwebs for all the information I could gather about airplanes and flight. The more I read, the more fascinated I became. I found articles by pilots who inspired me to lose my fear. One article in particular had the most impact on me.

This particular pilot absolutely loved flying. They loved flying so much that they spent some of their free time on a forum discussing all things aviation with people from all over the world. The passion these pilots had for flying really did encourage me to take on my fears.

I told you that I am a numbers guy…. well, I remember years prior, after surviving a horrific car accident, learning that we are 100,000x more likely to die in a car accident than a plane crash.

I started to research flight statistics and data. I studied aircraft and learned about air currents, thrust, engines, and flying techniques. I communicated with aviation enthusiasts and fans alike.

One evening, my friend Bob offered to take me to an air show! He brought me to an air show at Downsview. I had a fantastic time checking out all sorts of aircraft. They even had a life-size replica of the famed Avro Arrow!

I finally decided to buy a plane ticket. I did not have a passport since I had never flown before. When we were younger, we did not need a passport to drive into the USA, which was the only other country I had visited up until that year.

I bought the tickets and was both excited and nervous. I went to my family doctor and told him about my situation. He prescribed me some anti-anxiety pills to take before take-off.

I spent the morning of my flight texting with another friend Sabrina. She had decided to keep in contact with me upon learning that I was nervous about flying. She kept in touch with me throughout my airport experience right up to boarding the plane.

From the night before, I had conditioned myself to think that it might be my last night. I told myself not to worry and that if I don’t make it, it was meant to be.

I took the pill and laid back in my seat. The airplane started pushback (which is when it is pushed backwards away from the gate). When we arrived at the runway, I thought to myself, wow. I am finally going to do this.

To my horror, an announcement came over the speakers informing us that we will be delayed due to a mechanical problem.

Just my luck! My first time on a plane and there is a mechanical problem?

They shut down the power to the airplane and it started to get hot as the sun beamed through the windows on a hot June morning. I sat back in my seat trying hard not to think about what might happen. I heard noises coming from under the plane. It sounded like they were repairing something.

Forty-five minutes later, the captain announced that all is good and we will be taking off. We started going down the runway and I sat back in my seat and thought to myself, we are moving.

We are moving along the runway. This is getting fast. Why am I not panicking? I guess the pill is working. I feel relaxed. Let’s just sit back and look out the window.

We are lifting off. Wow. I am not afraid. This is amazing. I am in the air for the very first time. Wow. We are now above the clouds. I have never seen the tops of clouds before. It is so peaceful up here. I lived my entire life until this moment having only seen one side of the clouds. There must be millions of people who never seen this. This is so beautiful.

Flying above the clouds — Flying over Asia in 2018 (sorry, I do not have photos from the Nova Scotia flight)
© 2018 Charles Dunlevy

I really enjoyed the flight. It was a moment I will never forget. I was so happy to have finally conquered that irrational fear.

As we approached Halifax, Nova Scotia, our captain informed us that there is a heavy thunderstorm up ahead.

Just my luck! My first flight and first there was a mechanical problem, now a storm? Somehow I was not panicked. The pill really did allow me to not worry.

We landed safely and I was disappointed to not hear people cheering and clapping. It was then I realized that only in movies do people cheer upon landing. I was sure glad that I did not clap nor cheer, I would have looked foolish.

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia — Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
©2007 Charles Dunlevy

I had a wonderful time in Nova Scotia. My friend, her sister, and her best friend – another big guy just like myself, were the best hosts a guy could ever hope for on his first really vacation. They introduced me to all sorts of beautiful places.

One evening, we went out for a drive through Eastern Passage. It was a beautiful night for a drive just looking at the scenery. We stopped by a site which was the set for the Trailer Park Boys television series. We then drove to a beach and parked.

It was eerily quiet as we walked towards the water. Nobody said a word. I stopped, and prayed by the water. I had finally seen the ocean. I prayed for the souls of my many ancestors who were lost in the Atlantic Ocean during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

When I was done praying, my friend approached me and told me that she somehow knew that I would want to do something like that when we arrived at the sea. She just had this feeling which is why she never said a word as we walked to the water’s edge. We all hugged and cheered and posed for photos. It was a special moment for me.

On the day of my return flight, we went to lunch at an incredible seafood restaurant called John’s Lunch. While driving to the airport, I received a text message from Air Canada informing me that my flight would be delayed due to stormy weather in the Toronto area.

Just my luck again! First a mechanical problem before takeoff in Toronto, then a thunderstorm before landing in Halifax, and now stormy weather in Toronto when I am scheduled to return?

Eventually my flight arrived and I boarded a different craft… this one was a brand-new Embraer E-190. It had that new-car smell! I had read about Air Canada purchasing these jets just days or weeks prior to my flight. I was thrilled to be riding a brand-new aircraft. The flight out of Toronto was on an Airbus A319. My first two flights were on different planes by different manufacturers. I thought this was pretty cool.

Air Canada Embraer E190 – My second flight (this craft was brand-new at the time)
Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As our plane approached the Greater Toronto Area, I noticed that the weather was perfect! Whatever storm held us back was long gone. It was a perfectly sunny day! Flying over Toronto was a treat. I was able to spot all sorts of landmarks on our way to Pearson International Airport. When we arrived near the airport, the plane banked right and made a circle to line up with the runway. This was really cool and the visual was stunning.

I arrived home safely and proud of my accomplishment. I continued to study airplanes and watch videos online. My next trip was to Asia… South Korea to be exact. My friends thought I was crazy to make that my second trip via airplane. Halifax, Nova Scotia is “only” 1,264 kilometres from Toronto. Seoul, South Korea is 10,594 kilometres away!!!

I have since flown several times around East Asia and even got into flight simulators via X-Plane 11 on PC and Infinite Flight on mobile. Flying is such a complex, yet rewarding task. I now understand why pilots are so enthusiastic about their profession. I have also purchased several books written by pilots, plane enthusiasts, and technical people involved in the industry.

Let us hope and pray that we all defeat this pandemic so that we may return to flying around the world. I dream of a day when I no longer live here full-time, but spend my time in several cities around the world.