The day I met Tommy Rousseau the sailor, it was a cold wet and raining day on Brunswick St. in Halifax Nova Scotia.I could of met Tommy in any city of the world at any time he was on the earth.He was a traveller on ships most of his life.Lived in Boston with is Grandmother who taught him all there is to know about antiques.
In the 80's he came to Nova Scotia with 10,000.00 to start a business, he managed to stay out of Vietnam although he did have a few years in poverty along the coast of Hati.This is where he learned to drink like a fish he said one time.Booze and women!!Tommy liked his booze and beautiful women.
Im not sure how he got into the Buddhist thing but he loved it.Changed his whole way of thinking.Tommy was a hippie,a Buddhist, and just plain, good man.He loved people but not the stuff they got into.His friends were so eclectic and varied.He cooked for a living. He would cook for the poor the rich and al the working in between.He had a partner who was like his son or brother.He never stood in anyone's way of changes.He loved it all!!!Tommy never said he was a Buddhist, he liked to talk about politics and then music and some of the cooking stuff.He never got too gossipy.Not good for business he'd say.He had a laugh that opened the whole world to the sound of laughter.Loved Jazz.Loved blue and wood.Boats were his infinity.
His eyes would light up a thousand times a day as people came and went in and out of his presence.Loved to work and stay in the flow of it all informed and engaged in the lives of those around him at the restaurant he owned.He was not very materialistic just like to be warm and comfortable.
Tommy was very sensitive to a women, he did not like harshness nor my sense of humour at times.His first pass at me was so funny I still laugh at the memory of it.We were on our way home from Red Bank, New Brunswick where we had been involved in a nine day Spirit Walk, and he looked over at me in the van and said "we should go to a movie sometime".Being me I looked shocked and said "ya like Id go out with you!!" or some stupid, impetuous comment, always to get the laugh.It fell silent in the truck.We never went to a movie.He was in the drivers seat and just went on talking about the trip and so I never approached it again.It never dawned on me to apologise to him I just thought he knew I was joking and was not in the mood to joke.We shortly;y after than stopped for lunch.Fish and chips in a sweet little place he found on a back road I've never been in before or since.he had a way of making me feel so sweet I never thought of my social fo` pu` again.
We had a long drive that day coming from the Native American Spirit Walk in Red Bank NB. I was in love with him within an hour of meeting this jolly character, with the huge brown eyes.We were introduced and right away I got into why I was there "Im on my way to a Spirit Walk and we need a driver" He looked so surprised it almost sobered him up a bit."Ya, its time I got into something Spiritual for a bit,when do you want to go." Tomorrow at 9am was not to soon for him so off we went to Red Bank!!!We were together for almost two years every day after.He not only became our driver but did all the cooking on the trip and paid for it all too.I cannot imagine the people Tommy gave a hand out to and helped along the way.If I was late getting to the bank with my disability cheque, he would put it through the store.
He liked to remember where he came from.Said he sat on the church steps one day waiting for his mom to come from the bar for 5 hours he sat there age 9 or so.His grandmother was very upset.
He lived in a very useful way he did not take more than he needed.Except if it was a great pan of fish!!
He was a good man.Tommy was, a damn good man.
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