I am going to help you understand Apple Blossom. New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Spring break has Cancun, The Annapolis Valley (NS) has apples and because it played such an important role in the under developed economy of Nova Scotia, one weekend a year we tip back a few dozen beers and blow up some fireworks. Apple Blossom is the first weekend you ever drank, smoked a joint, or got laid. It’s about touring from one house party to another with your beer on your back and your friends by your side while doing the best job you can to stay out of the drunk tank. Trust me, we’ve all been there.

Last year was the first year I missed the festival in my entire life and I was determined to get back this year. It is the best chance you have of seeing all your friends from the old days in one place, under one tent (or tarp). I arrived home to a great welcome from gokart and Cmack Wednesday night.

We drank beers and shot pool at a bar that wasn’t there when I left. I think it was called westside charlie brown’s or something, but regardless there were private pool tables, terrible karaoke singers and the opportunity to steal shopping carts from the neighboring mall. Valley style. The second night, Cmac and Big Chew picked me up and we headed to Paddy’s and then the Anvil in Wolfville. Commence inappropriate (and might I add; shameless) flirting with young girls till all hours of the night. I woke up and my pants were ripped from ass to ankle. One might ask, don’t you want to know why? ….No I don’t. I didn’t even pause to think about it. Ignorance is bliss in situations like that.

Friday night, the pre-game… It started with Ace, my best friend for years. We got drunk and headed into town around 8. I saw a lot of people and it was decent. By the end of the night I was with the old crew of Switchell, Greysen, and Tinky Davidson. We ended up back at Switchells where we were plesantly surprised by Cmac, Gokart, Big Chew and randoms. Matt climbed on the roof, we made fun of each other and we parted ways.

I woke up at Switchells. Bad feelings, menacing vibrations, where’s my lawyer? It wasn’t the house… I dismissed it, went home, and slept till two pm. That’s when Vince called me. I know enough about Apple Blossom that when you get a call at 2pm and one of the first sentences is ‘Man do you know what happened last night?’ it can go one of two ways. 1) You laugh about what you don’t remember. 2) Your stomach eat’s itself alive because what you are about to hear will not be good and you know it.

This time it was the later of the two. Out of respect for what is, I don’t feel like I need to go any further or to explain what exactly happened. If you know, you know, if not then make something up.

Saturday was hard. It took me about 7 hours to stomach the news and make peace with it. Base camp was back at Switchells. I was very hesitant to leave home that evening. I didn’t feel right about it, much the same as I didn’t feel right about flying back to Toronto Monday morning. It felt so abrupt and selfish.

Once I got over to base camp I started feeling better. Word had gotten there ahead of me and we all talked about it. We set off fireworks and jammed some old wrukus as well as some freestyle jazz. It was an extremely great feeling to be with my friends from home again and even if we could have drank until sunset the night felt just right ending early.

Looking back over the weekend, I feel bad for not staying longer to be there for my friends but by Sunday night I was feeling homesick for the hustle and bustle of Toronto. I hope this doesn’t mean that I’m becoming a city boy… Psh, anyway, Carpe Diem.