The High Road (43 page)
Authors: Terry Fallis
Sitting there in the Prime Minister’s office, looking at Angus, I could feel the political noose tightening around my neck. Somehow, I didn’t care. This was going to be fun.
DIARY
Thursday, February 27
My Love,
I arrived home tonight to a handwritten note of congratulations from none other than Emerson Fox. He says he’ll be watching me and learning. Strange fellow, but with softer edges now than he sported in the campaign.
My capacity for surprise remains intact. I daresay, the PM’s performance today has caused me to reassess my earlier view of him. It is possible that he is growing into his role. That augurs well.
I spent a few glorious hours in the workshop tonight. At last,
Baddeck 1
is fully dried out after its ill-fated encounter with two military helicopters. It took longer than I expected but ’Tis cold in the shop. I kept the heaters working overtime and the damp smell has now all but gone. I was planning on making some modifications to stabilize cushion pressure while accelerating, but I fear I’ll be a little pressed for time in the foreseeable future, as will young Daniel.
I felt you with me tonight. You arrived suddenly, as if late for the meeting, though I suppose you were always with me. But all of a sudden, I was struck by your tranquil presence. I doubt the PM or Daniel noticed, but peace is what I felt. Even now, you, too, can still surprise me.
I don’t mind being described as honourable now and then, but must they officially attach “the Honourable” to my blessed name for the rest of my living years. I’ll not have it. What have I done, my love?
AM
I never expected to see my first novel published, so writing a second seems an undue privilege. I owe many for their support, encouragement, and guidance. I thank Douglas Gibson, whom I’m honoured to have as my editor, publisher, and, most importantly, friend. Beverley Slopen took a chance on me when no one else would, and I’m grateful to be among her flock. Publicist extraordinaire Frances Bedford kept me on the road and in front of readers for my first novel, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to doing it all again with this one. This is a better book for the eagle-eyes and copy-editing prowess of Wendy Thomas.
My thanks to a great ball hockey player, and an even greater artist, Jim Cuddy, and to a brilliant and funny writer, Ian Ferguson, for their kind words about this book.
I’ve never been clear on how far to take the
Acknowledgements
section, but for what it’s worth, I’ve been inspired in my writing by many wonderful authors. In particular, Robertson Davies, Paul Quarrington, Mordecai Richler, Donald Jack, John Irving, and Stephen Fry, all set standards that I will only ever see shimmering in the distance. I doubt any book of mine could have been written without them.
Enumerating my blessings would be incomplete without acknowledging the pivotal role of the Stephen Leacock Association in changing my life as a writer, in the spring of 2008. I couldn’t be more grateful.
And then there’s my family. My father and mother created a home where the love of humour and language joined us every evening for dinner. From the very beginning, my twin brother, Tim, has been a stronger supporter, not to mention a halfway-decent author photographer, than I ever had a right to expect.
To my wife, Nancy, and our two boys, Calder and Ben, who inspired, nourished, and encouraged me with everything a writer needs, and more, even my most heartfelt words of gratitude simply fall short. So I’ll just have to try to show you what it’s meant to me.
T.F.
Toronto, 2009
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Copyright © 2010 by Terry Fallis
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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Fallis, Terry
The high road / Terry Fallis.
eISBN: 978-0-7710-4788-6
I. Title.
PS8611.A515H54 2010 C813′.6 C2010-901492-8
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program and that of the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s Ontario Book Initiative. We further acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program.
Published simultaneously in the United States by McClelland & Stewart Ltd., P.O. Box 1030, Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Library of Congress Control Number: 2010926643
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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