The Farm - Day Fifty Seven

when my father was 9 years old his SCOTTISH private school, located in VINA DEL MAR, took his class north of the coastal town to a quaint farming community called PUCHUNCAVI. when they arrived the students found that the farm belonged to the father of one of the their classmates everyone called "fatty" - who was also great friends with my grandfather. just after their arrival the caretaker of the farm slaughtered a large cow for the entire class to eat that weekend. rumor has it that one of the chaperons, which was the sister of another classmate they called "the rat" - cause he physically looked like a rat, had sex with the head master on that same trip. as the boys settled everyone spoke grateful for the opportunity to be away from the red-face SCOTTISH priests which never failed to cane at least one student daily. after a weekend of horse riding, large juice dripping steaks and giggles to "the rat's" sister - my swore to return with my grandfather. and they did - many times over with "fatty's" family.
it is also this town that my father has, in the past four years, fallen back in love with. yesterday after filming B ROLL around the MENA FAMILY farm (where my father keeps his horses) my father and i were riding back and he told me this story. to fully understand my father's relationship with the MENA FAMILY is something that has to be seen rather then heard. i am hoping that when the MENA FAMILY is introduced in the documentary that the film captures what these people represent to my father.
as he told me this story i couldn't help be almost in tears as a listener and son. whether he knows it or not - my father has found his youth and love for the country with these people. while in CANADA i would always say that it was horses... but its not just the horses, its this family that gave my father life again. and for that, i am eternally grateful to them. besides the fact that i too have fallen in love with them, they are very kind and beautiful people.

the MENA FAMILY are beautiful people.