I just got scammed.
It’s true. I got taken for $160.00. I’m still mad about it.
See (Web
Site Scam)
But I take small comfort in the knowledge that I’m not the
only person in the world who has been swindled by someone with no ethics.
Allow me to illustrate:
 |
| Gramma and Grampa Berg on their wedding day |
My Maternal grandparents emigrated from Sweden.
Grampa came first and started farming/ranching in Idaho.
Gramma followed later and they were married.
A short time afterward, they headed north, enticed by offers of beautiful farm land in Alberta. They settled on a half-section they acquired in the Brooks area.
Soon afterward, they met another couple who had been farming
unsuccessfully in the area for some time and were ready for a change.
The man had a scheme.
A sure-fire, can’t-miss scheme.
“Trapping is the answer,” he said knowledgeably “I’ve done
it before. Get yourself a trap line and, in one winter, you can make enough to
pay cash for the equipment you will need to farm.”
Grampa was intrigued by the idea.
No stranger to hard work, he was excited by the idea of trading
long winter hours for the chance to start his farming operation with such a leg-up.
He and Gramma decided they’d do it.
They studied the maps and decided on a tract of land further
north of their new home place. A spot near Lac La Biche. They staked out their
claim and moved into a small cabin near the train tracks.
Originally, the cabin had been erected for the use of the
crew when they were laying said tracks. Their new friends (Remember the guy
with the idea? Him.) had used it before.
It was . . . cozy, but it had every amenity. Walls and a
roof. And a window and door. It also had a little stone oven that Grampa built.
Outside. Gramma would build up a fire, let it burn down, then bake bread by the
heat that remained in the stones. Beautiful bread. It was the one perk of
living in a tiny cabin at the back of beyond.
 |
| Gramma Berg and her bread |
For many long winter months, they and their friends/partners
lived there and ran the trap line. Gramma’s first son, my uncle Glen, was born
there.
They had a measure of success. In fact, by March, they had
an abundant supply of furs.
The winter drew to a close. Even in northern Alberta, it
does happen . . .
Plans were discussed to take the winter’s catch to the city
to trade.
The decision was made that Grampa would stay at the cabin
for one more week to take whatever animals he could in those last few days.
His partner would haul their furs to the city to trade.
The partner left.
Grampa caught up with him a week later in the city.
And that’s when things fell apart.
The partner claimed that he had lost their entire catch in
the river when his boat swamped.
Their entire catch.
There was nothing Grampa could do.
He loaded up his wife and new son and their few belongings
and headed back to his land near Brooks. One wasted, useless winter behind him.
And a new farming operation ahead.
To be started without the leg-up he had counted on.
He did make a success of it and he and
Gramma raised eight sons and my mom.
I’m sure the pain of that first set-back was completely overcome
in the ensuing years.
That’s what I’m counting on now.
Sigh.
It's interesting how some people contradict that story, but that's the way Mom told us. It could have been an accident but who's to know? Sorry about your getting scammed on the Net. I remember some years ago, after I'd made a small purchase over the phone (Net wasn't invented yet), I got a call telling me that my credit card insurance had expired. He asked for my numbers. I told him that I'd talk to my banker first. He hung up... I was lucky.
ReplyDeleteThere is always someone out there looking to part you from your hard earned cash.
ReplyDeleteWe were victims a few years ago when our credit card information was stolen. We were very grateful that our bank reimbursed us as it was a lot of money. It was a terrible feeling and we are more than careful now.
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I'm sorry to hear both of these stories - yours and your grandparents'. Some people (or companies) have no shame and can be very convincing.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing the amount of work our ancestors did just to survive, isn't it? Things have changed so much in just a couple of generations. My paternal grandparents worked in the woods for a number of winters and my grandmother made all the camp meals for a couple dozen men plus her own family. And cleaned up afterwards ... Made bread and biscuits and pies as well as the main meals. Imagine - no sooner would one meal be over and the washing up done than it would be time to start all over again. And it was all done with wood stoves and carrying water by hand. Sounds like your grandparents lived in similar conditions. What a disappointment it must have been to find out it was all for nothing.