EPISODE 811 PERSONAL FAREWELL TO GORDON LIGHTFOOT
alan skeoch
may 2, 2023
In 1960 I was a prospector in search of magnetic anomalies in he Yukon Territory, Three months growth of beard that was reddish
as my fathers. In mid September I was heading home and ‘missed my loved one so’. Gordon Lightfoot captured my feelings
that lonely day when I sat on the ground at the mountain fringed airport in Juneau, Alaska. Yes, it was an ‘EARLY MORNING RAIN’
that day.
“Big 707 set to go, but I’m stuck here on the ground with no place to go” Gordon Lighffoots’ song titled
‘In the early Morning Rain’ is pressed indelibly in my brain . So firmly that total recall brings back
the images of mid September 1960 when I was standing behind the chain link fence of the airport
at Juneau, Alaska. Yes, I do believe it was even raining that memorable day in my life as Iwatched
‘Big 707’s’ takeoff and land. The landing and takeoff strip was short as Jneau was hemmed in by
mountains so jet planes had to use extra power each time.
For the past three months I had been conducting elector-magnetic mining surveys for Huntech
at various sites in he Yukon Territory for $400 a month, money destined to pay my U. of T fees
in my graduating year. Marjorie and I were engaged to be married but had been separated for the
duration of the Yukon job. I longed to get home but at the same time I wanted to get the fulll
experience of the magical Yukon gold rush days of the 1890’s. So my exit from the Yukon
was an indirect route from Mayo Landing to Whitehorse to Skagway to Juneau to Seattle to
Vanouver to Toronto. The adventure plan.
I was alone. Travelling alone. Loneliness. My budget? Scraping the bottom of barrel as I planned
to cover the costs by cashing in my direct flight return to Toronto from Whitehorse which was
covered by Huntech. Meals were to be cold pork and beans direct from the cans. Lodging
was flop house kind. Transport by bus to Whitehorse and the magical White Pass Railway to
the dead end at Skagway then whatever I could find to travel by boat to Juneau.
All the way serenaded by my memory edition of Gordon lightfoot’s Early Morning Rain. Memory
became reality at that chain link fence as big Boeing 707’s laboured to clear the mountains.
I was booked on one of those flights that day. No extra money for hotel or food or transport.
I had get out. No money left. “So I sat there on the ground’ with no back up plan.
LYRICS: IN THE EARLY MORNING RAIN (Gordon Lightfoot)
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my handWith an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sandI’m a long way from home, Lord, I miss my loved ones soIn the early morning rain with no place to go
Out on runway number nine a big 707 set to goAnd, I’m stuck here in the grass where the pavement never growsNow, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fastWell, there she goes, my friend, she’ll be rolling down at last
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on highShe’s away and westward bound, far above the clouds she’ll fly
There the morning rain don’t fall and the sun always shinesShe’ll be flying over my home in about three hours time
This old airport’s got me down, it’s no earthly good to meAnd I’m stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can beYou can’t jump a jet plane like you can a freight trainSo, I’d best be on my way in the early morning rain
You can’t jump a jet plane like you can a freight trainSo, I’d best be on my way in the early morning rain
Gordon Lightfoot
So the song and the setting came together in the Long Term
storage part of my brain.
With each word of Gordon’s lyrics images of that Juneau airport on a rain
swept morning with a Big Boeing 707 set to go. I would soon be on my
way alone and eastward bound but at that magical moment I was
‘along way from home, Lord, and missed my loved ones so in the
early morning ran with no place to go.’
‘So, I’ best be on my way in the early morning rain.’
alan skeoch
P>S> Just getting to Whitehorse had been an adventure. Mayo Landing is
a tiny community on the Stewar River. The only way out was by bus sometime
around mid night. The bus driver did not show up with his bus. Had to be
awakened but his cabin was surrounded by sled dogs. How was i to get
out in time to reach Pelly Crossing and the bus to Whitehorse? “Just take the
bus, keys are usually in the ignition”, suggested one of my mining associates
…”happens all the time”.
So I did. Never drove a bus before in my life but door was open, key in ignition.
‘ Vrroom ‘, I was on my way in the blackness of a Yukon night. I even picked
up a few passengers at the Hotel and then threaded my way carefully on the
near empty highway to the Yukon River junction point. Parked the bus and
as the sun rose boarded the southbound bus to Whitehorse.
I was on my way.I Gordon Lightfoot seems to have felt as I did when he
wrote Early Morning Rain.
Marjorie, mom and dad were there to greet me. Later, mom and Marjorie pinned me to the ground and cut off my red beard. I was home.
alan