In June of 1993 I was visiting Osoyoos for a few weeks. It was a traumatic
time for me as my Mother had passed away and I was in town to help my
sister with the funeral and do the eulogy. I found a little gym to train in
while I was there. I was training for the Canadians which were to be held
in Montreal in September. The gym owner noticed my condition and we
talked and I gave them copies of the issues of Musclemag and Muscle &
Fitness that I was in. When it came time to pay them for my training
time they refused my money and asked me to just send them an auto-
graphed 8 x10 when I returned to Vancouver. I did so happily. Several
months later I was helping out with the drug testing at a BC's competition
in Vancouver and ran into them at the weigh-in. His wife was competing.
I noticed the jackets they were wearing. The emblem on them sported the
words " The Iron Oasis ". You see, on the autographed 8 x10 which I had sent
them, I had written " thank you to the Iron Oasis ". Training there was the
one bright spot in a very sad and trying time, thus the metaphor. They had
renamed their gym due to my inscription on the photo.
I was so astounded and flattered.
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Photo by Yves Desbiens |
