February 22 Thursday

B(spare)-in the s.l. with Dave, Donna, Christine, Andy. Sat on a chair [the usual seating in the lounge were flat wooden benches with metal legs, room enough for maybe three or four people], went out for a smoke. Art-watched Christine and Mike paper mashé a big trophy [which appears in the annual photo taken of our art class]. Lunch-gym 3, the group 'Gripenmire' playing [for the carnival]. nite-my first in-car driving lesson at 7. Drove around Lindsey Place and near Ralph's [there was a small mishap involving the gas and brake pedals, and a snowbank].

 

February 23 Friday

Periods 30 minutes long. B(spare)-Donna, Dave, Christine and I in the doorway outside. Art-McGilton wore a lace shirt and a strange coat and high boots. Lunch-in the Great Hall. Ralph, Mike, Lesley, Dave and Ruth. Contests for the winter carnival. A longest hair contest [which I entered with] (15+1/2 ins.) [Harry Bird, brother of Ralph Bird, won. I forget the length]. French-same as Lunch, but with Christine added. English-spare, got out. A group played in the student's lounge. Lesley, Rob E and Dave were there. Don was around. Watched swimming at the arena with Ruth. nite-went to Donna's apt (611 South West One) [in the older of the eastern buildings. This was my first visit. At least Dave and Ralph had been there before. I was a 1+1/2 which she shared with her older brother, who never seemed to be there...(btw, I would smoke a splif on the way there sometimes during the late winter/spring)]. Dave was there, smoked up on the balcony [which faced east]. Walked to Ralph's and got him, Andy too and Danielle. Got to the school, met Ruth and Christine. Big crush at the door to get in, took a long time. 'April Wine' was playing, a mirror ball was on the ceiling [much else is forgotten. I believe we spent a lot of time in the Great Hall. The jocks were greasing back their hair].

 

February 24 Saturday

In the morning had a driving test in Pierrefonds. nite-walked to Lesley's. Christine, Rob E, Steve Russel and Cathy (a girl) [probably not the Cathy from December 1972] there. We talked. Steve and Cathy left at 1:30. About 1 we ordered a pizza. I left at 1:45.

 

February 25 Sunday

nothing.

 

February 26 Monday

Lunch-Christine, Mike, Ralph, Dave, Donna, Andy and I in the s.l., went outside. nite-Driver's ed, regular teacher's brother teaching. Saw slides.

 

February 27 Tuesday

Lunch-Lesley, Ralph, Donna, Andy, Dave. Lesley and I talked about Dave (85). Lesley wore my suit coat outside.

 

February 28 Wednesday

B(spare)-Christine, Dave, Donna, Andy in the student's lounge. Went outside. History-Pound took the annual photo of the Art team [which appeared in the 1973 Annual I received October 12, 1973] in our english room. Lunch-Andy, Ralph, Dave, Donna in the student's lounge. nite-Driver's ed, had final test, got 92%.

 

 

 

85. What did we say? At this time Dave was becoming more open about his sexuality (which at the time was more difficult. I myself did not have the courage. When Lesley asked me why I wasn't married in 1990, I said take a guess and you're probably right. She said why did I say all those things about Dave in high school then? Self-defense). Anyway Dave was becoming more wild, emulating David Bowie who unfortunately was the only 'gay' role model for many young people. The name 'Gay Dave' came out of this time. I'll always remember Dave as one of the strongest, most unique personalities of those days, and I regret anything I may have said against him...I also discovered later(from Lesley) that he had slept with Richard Edwards, who in Grade 8 I had found cute..ah well...(and even more. On May 10, 1995 I spoke to Dave for the first time since 1978. He was living in Toronto, and before he had lived in Vancouver and San Francisco. He was staying with Richard Edwards and his lover of 20 years (!). Dave and Linda had seen each other for about a year (many years before) and had even had a child together. In 1982 Dave had discovered he was HIV+...oh my goodness. I was informed by phone by Ralph on January 22, 1999, that Dave had died on or about January 15, 1999 in Toronto of an apparent drug overdoseŸhe had lost his job sometime last year, and was living hand to mouth on the street. He died in a drug rehab center.)

 

I finally met Dave again on November 9, 1996 - which turned out to be for the last time).