Nina Foch

            On Tuesday morning on my Christian’s Translations blog I adjusted the placement of the chords for one and a half verses of "J'suis snob" by Boris Vian.

            After typing out from a YouTube video the first two lines of  “Banana Boat" by Serge Gainsbourg I was able to use those lines in a search and find all the lyrics instead of the Jamaican folk song, which is what always turns up when only searching the title.

            I began translating the song. It’s from the point of view of someone that wants to hitch a ride on a merchant marine ship and have her way with all the sailors.

            I called the Bank of Montreal to notify them that I’ve lost my bankcard. The guy I spoke with told me he would send me a new card with my name on it but that meanwhile I could go to a branch and get a temporary card.

            I lifted my backup bike off its hook for the first time in more than two years. I was somewhat doubtful that the tires would inflate after all that time. They made a crackling noise as they expanded, perhaps because the rubber was dry, but they held. It was weird not riding the bike I’d built in the spring of 2017, but the backup bike, although not the right size has the seat adjusted for my height and I was able to ride to Bloor and Lansdowne fairly comfortably.

            At the bank I explained to the attractive and pleasant desk teller my situation and showed her some mail addressed to me, since that was all I had for identification. The teller asked me a few questions that only I could know the answer to but didn’t seem to have any doubt that I was who I said I was. She told me that the card that had been mailed to me by the guy that I’d spoken to earlier would be void when she issued me a temporary card. She explained that the issuer of the temporary card has to be the one that sends the official card. I wondered why the customer service guy hadn’t known that but she said she didn't know. I got my card, took $200 from my account and went home.

            Since I had an appointment for my annual check-up the next day with my doctor I called the Bloor Medical Clinic to let them know that I’d lost my health card. The receptionist said it was no problem for them because I’d already given them my new card number. She asked me however not to report to OHIP that I’d lost my card until a week after my physical because the provincial government would void the card and they wouldn't get paid.

            I looked into getting another birth certificate from New Brunswick and it looks like I’ll have to pay $75. I could order it online but I'd have to pay by debit and since I didn’t have that much money in my account I’d have to wait until the end of the month.

            I found out that I couldn’t renew my Social Insurance card online but would have to go to their office with a birth certificate. That meant there would be no renewing any identification until I could get another birth certificate.

            I had a chicken drumstick for lunch and some yogourt.

            In the afternoon did some exercises and then went over to Bike Pirates to pay them for the new bottom bracket and to inquire if they knew of anyone that can weld a bike frame. I found out that Tom could weld, although he isn’t a professional. I talked with Tom and he said he could do it for maybe $20 but he couldn't guarantee the job. I said that it's a shame to trash a perfectly good antique steel Raleigh Grand Prix bike frame just because of a cracked dropout. Tom was too busy to make arrangements at that time but told me to come back in an hour. When I returned he gave me his number and said to call him on Sunday morning and we would work out a time for me to bring the bike to his place so he could weld it. 

            I cut up a small chicken and roasted it in the oven. I had one of the legs with three little potatoes and some gravy while watching Wagon Train.

            The story begins with a cavalry unit riding to a fort. A band of indigenous warriors approaches them on horseback. They are carrying rifles but not aggressively. The captain orders his men to fire. The warriors ride away but one of them is killed. Meanwhile the wagon train is about to enter Indian Territory. The Major sends Flint ahead with gifts sugar, saltlick and tobacco for Chief Thundercloud. On the way there he finds the dead warrior but Thundercloud and his braves find him. He gives the gifts to the chief and that appeases him somewhat but he insists that Flint go to the fort and give the message for the soldier that killed his brave to be brought to him. Meanwhile at the fort the captain arrives and presents himself to the commanding officer, Colonel Charles Beauchamp and tells him about the incident with the Natives on the way there. The colonel chastises the captain for creating hostility with the tribe when he’s trying to keep the peace.

            The colonel’s wife Clara is a southern belle who is bored with her life in the fort and disappointed with her husband's lack of ambition. She believes the people that award promotions will never notice him if all he ever tries to do is keep the peace. She has taken to drinking and her behaviour has become problematic.

            Flint arrives at the fort with his message from Thundercloud. Obviously the colonel is not going to hand over his men, but he comes up with a creative solution. He tells Flint to go back and invite Thundercloud and his men to a feast in their honour at the fort. Flint has to do some major diplomacy to convince the chief to come but he succeeds.

            Meanwhile Clara is dead set against the chief and his warriors coming there. She thinks that Charles should fight and defeat the “savages", thereby earning a promotion.

            The feast goes very well. The chief and his warriors are well fed and entertained and they appear to be getting along with the soldiers. Suddenly Clara shows up drunk. She offers Thundercloud some coffee. It’s a drink he’s never tasted and its bitterness causes him to spit it out. Some of it touches Clara's dress and she slaps Thundercloud in anger. The chief and his braves leave and go on the warpath. They plan to attack the wagon train as it is now in their territory. The colonel has no choice but to take his men into battle and he blames Clara. He tells her they are through. Clara feels guilty and is determined to fix the mess that she’s made. She rides to Thundercloud but when a warrior sees a rider approaching from a distance he shoots her. Flint finds Clara dying and takes her to Thundercloud. She apologizes with her dying breath and war is abated. The colonel is offered a top job in Washington but turns it down to stay at the fort.

            Clara was played by Nina Foch (pronounced 'Fosh'), who was born in the Netherlands to the US singer Consuelo Flowerton and the Dutch conductor Dirk Fock. She often played sophisticated women in B movies. She was nominated for a best supporting actress Academy award for “Executive Suite". Her greatest success was as an acting teacher. Her motto “Happiness is for cows. You’re supposed to feel like you’ve achieved something" came from Einstein, who said, "ethics built on happiness would be sufficient only for a herd of cattle”. She said that B movies came to be called “noir” because they made them so quickly there was no time to light them properly.