Dad Leaves the Room when the Talk Shifts to Pot, Sex, or War

STORY BY: Deb A.
YEAR: 1967
LOCATION: Vancouver, BC

As a young teen in the 60s, Deb remembers the music, the civil rights movement, and a general feeling of right or wrong. Her parents were devout Christians who believed in Canada and a sense of order, and Deb and her older sister were young and rebellious. They wanted to talk about everything, but their dad would leave the room when the talk shifted to smoking pot, sex, or the war in Vietnam. Part of Deb's family had made their fortune in California, and they had children, too. One of her cousins was close to being drafted into Vietnam, but never was. It was only years later, when Deb's mom was in her 90s, that she confessed to Deb that they "had made arrangements" in case the boy had been drafted - in other words, he would have been sent to live with Deb's family in Canada, despite the strict morality of her household. Thanks for sharing, Deb.