Shaun Newman Podcast - SNP Archives #1 - Spiro Kokonas

Episode Date: August 7, 2020

Local community pillar Spiro is originally from Greece & we discuss his life; growing up, travelling to Canada at age 16 by himself & the restaurant business. We discuss the ups & downs of life and the many people who have impacted Spiro's journey. He's an incredible man. Let me know what you think     Text me! 587-217-8500

Happy Friday, folks. Well, normally, this is a little different format. As everybody knows going along here, we've been doing Monday, Wednesdays, and just cruising along. But behind the scenes, I started working with the Lloydminster Archives. A lot of people know I'm pretty passionate about the history and the history of our community and all communities, in that matter. I just find history very intriguing.

And I started working with the Lloydminster Archives a few months ago, and we started to record some very, very unique stories. And I just, I think we both came to the conclusion. It was high time that everyone started to hear about them. So today is the first day. And for the August, September, I'm going to release one every second Friday. And I'll, I'll let you guys decide, you know, if it's something you guys really enjoy, let me know. Hit social media and tell me all about it. And, you know, and if you don't, that's okay too. We've been having a lot of fun. I'm certainly enjoying myself. And like, I say it's just not stories you hear every day.

Well, let's get on to our sponsors of today's episode, and then we'll get you on to the show. Jen Gilbert and team want you to know for over 40 years since 1976, the dedicated realtors of Coldwell Bankers, Cityside Realty have served by Minster and the surrounding area. They're passionate about our community, and they pride themselves on giving back through volunteer opportunities and partnerships as often as they can. We know that home is truly where awesomeness happens. Coldwell Banker, Cityside Realty for everything real estate. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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I don't need your security system. Then I got thinking, I mean, if you're sitting out there and you're interested in the security system, maybe you need one, maybe you're like, you know what, I can really use that guy to come talk to me. Well, how about you go see the experts right here in town, HSI group? They can help you out. They do all things security, whether it's your home or your business, and they're just a phone call away. You can schedule the appointment so it's not at an interopportune time. You can finish the oiler game, head down, and see the boys.

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They're fully licensed for Alberta and SAS safety inspections. They have a special going on currently until the end of August where an AC recharge is only $95. Give them a call today to see if you qualify 780-875-7735. Ms. Lauren and her friend Gunner down at Art and Seoul. She is the passionate, hardworking woman who makes all of our keepsakes look just absolutely unreal. I've talked a lot about the frame that she did for the hundred-sales. 100th episode that sits behind me now. It looks unbelievable. Or how about the jersey that Kent Stannaporth had framed, the border kings? I'm just saying if it's Jersey, if it's memorabilia,

she's the lady. If it's a trinket, if it's, you know, a family heirloom, maybe a certificate that you want to pass down a legal land right of holdings. Something along those lines. Stop in and see this lady. She is fantastic of what she does. She cares. She cares. She cares. which is a, you know, a huge, huge thing you can see in all of her work. She's open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5 p.m. Give her a call 7808, 60313 or stop in at 50, 1639 Street. It's more than just a frame. It's a story.

SMP billboard across from the O'Fay. Thanks to read and write for all the amazing work they do. And my hats off to Deanna Wander, who even on her vacation, I fire her a text and she's answering my, you know, probably dumb questions. Thanks, Deanna. Now, normally we'd have the T-Barr-1 tail of the tape, but we are just going to head right into the episode. We're going to try and keep it a little bit different

from the standard episodes that have been going on. Sit back and enjoy this one. Here is Spiro Coconis. Welcome to Archives recording with Spiro Cokinus on July 19, 2020. First off, thanks for... sitting down with me and sharing a bit about your life thank you why don't we why don't we start back in your childhood crease being born back in the 40s what do you remember about that time or what is your first memory maybe as a child

I grew up more or less without a father almost When I was born, my father left. And on today's terms, in my say he left my mom. And he, you know, by the time I was five, he came back, and he had another three children. And then in November of 1954, he left. He left again. He went to Brazil. And that was the time that I sort of felt free. Up to that time, I wasn't a very good boy. But then I came, you know, and I says to my mom, mom, I'm going to go and become a tailor. And she says, go. And I, there was a tailor shop in the town. And I went and I asked the man there, the owner, I went to learn.

And he says, sure, he wasn't going to pay me. So just a little kid, you know, I'm small in stature, you know, you can imagine at that time of what I was. And I say, you know, so I stay with him for four years. And but he was my, I can say he was my dad. He was so good to me. And he kept talking to me like a real father. and

1959 my father left Brazil and he came to Canada in Saskatoon and then he sponsored me to come here and deep down

I had a fear of him whatever he said I did but yet Adini have a good relationship with him. So I left my mom, my siblings, and I came here in 1959. And of course, I had one more year to finish my tailor, my apprentice, but I dropped that just to come here. And I started working at the restaurant, washing dishes, and I started working at the restaurant,

washing dishes and all this. And then my father left, left us. He brought my other two siblings. And he left us. He went down in Winnipeg, you know, with his nephew. So in 1970, you know, in 1970, my brother, my gym, he says there is an opportunity in Lloyd Minster, you know, about the restaurant. And let's go and see it. So we went, we came up here, we saw it. You know, of course, it looked

good. In fact, it was the best looking restaurant, you know, in a small town of four thousand. And so we started working and by four years later by 1974. Jim, my brother passed away. And we stayed with my other brother built. And we went downtown to this, where is Cliff Rose now, used to be. used to be that building was for sale. We bought a building and we made a real nice restaurant. I got to back you up a little bit.

You talk about your father moving to Brazil and then disappearing for a while. Yeah. And a while being several years there. Was he in contact during this time? I mean, this is a different time and error for kids that ever... stumble upon listening to this. It isn't cell phones. It isn't FaceTime.

If he wanted to get in contact with you back then, I assume he sent a letter. That's exactly that. Yeah. And he would write and, you know, once in a while and would send some money about $20 a month. So what was he doing in Brazil or do you know? He was just working, you know, whatever, you know. I don't know. But he was working.

So he sends a letter saying you're going to Canada then? And then, no, his brother came from Greece, and he came to Saskatoon. And he sponsored him to bring him from Brazil to here to Saskatoon. Okay. That's how he came. And then automatically, you know, he sponsored me to bring him to bring him to bring me here. So when you get the letter saying you're going to Canada, can you just said, no, I'm in my next year or my one more year of tailoring. I really enjoy what I'm doing.

Remember, I was, on today's terms, I would say I was abused by him. And whatever he said, almost like I would say yes. When you say abuse, Sparrow, do you mean discipline? Like that way or verbally? Verbly, mostly. And abuse physical too. You know, he beat me up when he was back home. And so I didn't, I never had a good relationship with him.

So why not distance yourself further from that? Why you must have been petrified coming across to Canada? Yes, and I was petrified from him to because that's all I knew. I was afraid of him and yet I didn't like him but the same time I was afraid of him. Whatever he said, yeah. Was there a time in your life when you hit a certain age where you stopped listening to your where you weren't afraid of him anymore? No. I would say he made the arrangements for me to get married because I was very

rebellious and the rebellion was against him but he thought I was I needed a wife. So he found that girl back home Matina. Matina. And he made their, well, he asked me, you know, this girl, he never said, you know, would you like to get married or anything? So almost he says, I have this girl, you know, comes from a good family. I knew the family. And that was a good family.

And he says, you want to get married? I mean, I was, when he made that proposition, I was only 21, and she was 17. So she, you know, I said yes. You know, always I, you know. You're rebellious, but you still, whatever he said went. Yes, because of fear. What does rebellious mean to you? When you say rebellious, I think of a kid, staying out after curfew or drinking a couple too many beers or... To me, rebellions is you come against the society or in this case come against my father.

That is a rebellion, you know, and that's what I was. You know, I knew I was bad, but yet I was afraid to stop. I don't know if that makes sense. I think it makes sense. I'm trying to wrap my head around being that petrified of a guy and moving halfway across the world

not after seeing him for so long and just a letter itself scaring you that much. You mentioned before we started 15 days on a boat? Yeah. That was 11 days on the boat. and four days on the train from Halifax to here, to Saskatoon.

How many people on the boat and what was the boat like? No, it was a big boat. Okay. No, it was a big ship. It was not just a little boat. We call it a boat, but, you know, it was a... What did you think across the river, or the river, the ocean? I don't know.

I was too young, too young. to even think and say it was an excitement. I look around, you know, it said, wow. Were you, did you know anybody on the boat? No. You know, I met people. People. There were four people staying in a cabin, you know, and I met them.

And some of them, most of them went down to, Toronto and they didn't know where Saskatoon was themselves. So and I took the boat and I had $2 in my pocket and I stopped, you know, right in the, when we took off there was a little grocery store in the building and I bought one a can of corned beef. How much did that cost you in you remember? I don't remember. One can of corned beef and a loaf of bread.

Okay. Obviously, it was less than $2. Yeah. And I bought the corned beef. I had seen the can. I had never eaten what is inside. Because, remember, I came from a small town. I did know what the city was, just a small town.

And so, but I bought that can because you had a little thing there to open it. Yeah, Bob Tab or whatever you want to call it. Yeah, and that's the reason why I bought that. So you could get into it. Yeah. You didn't need the special tool or whatever. Exactly. Exactly.

So I started digging there. And I ate a couple of times, but the next day it was kind of hot, you know, at that time. and it turned white on the top. He had fat and it turned white and I thought it was a mildew. And I threw it out the second day. And by the time I came in, the bread was dry, those little slice of loaves, you know, with sliced bread.

And it was dry, and then I threw that out. and I came with two days that I had not eaten anything. Yeah. Couldn't you? On the boat. Yeah. You couldn't get food? Oh, yeah.

Well, it was a beautiful food there. We had anything we wanted. That was not the problem there. It was just when we left the boat and took the train that was the time that I spent Oh, okay, okay Yeah

So on the train You had the Sorry, on the train You had the loaf of bread Yeah Yeah Trying to go four days Eating just that

Exactly, yeah Yeah Oh no, they In fact In the afternoon They have the tables there you could go and sit down and have a meal whatever you want they had cookies and everything and but I didn't know that it was free so I would go by

the tables there and you know I just grabbed one a cookie almost stealing it and I didn't know that there we're talking about a 16 year old you know and I I didn't Later on, I found out that all that was free. You had come with a ticket. And I would go by and just grab a cookie. Try not starve. Well, yeah. Well, I wasn't starving there because we had the meals.

But in between, in the afternoon, you could sit down there and have a tea and a cookie in there. then the supper time come along at the summertime we had a big meal

that was not a problem but what I'm saying is that I you know like I like the cookies but I didn't know that I can have them

let's talk about Greece what did you you know you talked about your childhood was Greece a great place to live when you're growing

up? Was it, I don't know, maybe just talk about it a little bit. Okay. I now remember that we had the World War II up until 1945. And then Greece was left in shambles. The whole town I grew up in, it was burned. It was burned. From the war? From the war. Then right after the 1945 became the civil war, because who's going to take control of Greece? The Germans left, and there was the civil war who's going to take over and be in control.

And that will cause, you know, the worst than the Germans did. Yeah. A struggle for power now. Exactly. And that's what happened there. And Greece was not very good place to be in at that time. And that's why my father, you know, and Canada opened up the doors. Canada, United States, Australia. And there was, from every household, there had to be at least,

one person had left to go somewhere else. That was the biggest exodus that took place. And that's where, you know, my father left Greece in 1952 to go to Brazil. He stayed there for four years, five, 1954, I think, in 52. and but there wasn't much better and then he's you know kind of like opened the doors like I said you know and my uncle came like there were some people the Greek people that they had the restaurant they had been here before the war and they had they had established themselves and they start

sponsor people to come over. People to come over and work for them. That's where my uncle came, my father's brother. And then in return, he sponsored my father to come over. And keep trying to get people out of the war torn country. Exactly, yeah. Do you have you gone back to Greece? Oh, we go back.

We were, actually, we were supposed to be there right now. Right now. But we can't. You know, we had the tickets, and the tickets, I don't know what's going to happen with him, but bought the tickets. How about the man that you call your second father or your father? My mentor? Yeah, your mentor. Did you ever go back and see him or talk to him?

I met him after that. I met him once, but now he died ever since then. but I met him one and I did tell him that. I said, you were my real father. And I did tell him exactly that. You were my real father whom I never knew. And you brought me, you know, you guide me into the right path. And he said, well, I told you things that we have told to any other.

other kid. Is there one thing when you look back at the things he told you, is there one thing that sticks out above the rest? Yep. What was that? Well, the first thing that you, he continued to tell me, and that was, like he had a knife and stopped me into my heart. It was that he says, now that your father is gone, he left and you're the oldest. And, and he's the oldest. And, And you should look after your mom, your grandma, your brothers, and your sister because you're the oldest. And it was just like he had a knife stabbing me into my heart from the words that you were telling me. And I couldn't bring myself to rebel against him what he was telling me. But within six months after I met the man and I went to the tailor shop, I became a different man, different boy.

And people were looking for me to go and do chores for them on my spare time. That's how much I had changed. up to that point I was the rebel without a cause James Dean Pardon me James Dean

Yeah So and that's right You know like I would say That's why I said that He was my real father When you

decided that you were coming to Canada Then obviously you talk to him And let him know that Yeah Was he? excited or was he said or I don't know I guess how I don't know I don't remember the conversation but I I'm not quite sure how he felt you know in the case like that I would say that you've know he probably felt sorry that he was losing somebody because by that time I was producing for

I was working with no money. It wasn't paying. But I was producing. I had learned. And then the same time he was happy because I was going for a better life, a life that he couldn't give me. No, because everybody thought,

oh, Canada, United States, oh, there's money. You just go and just, go and you just you find money on the streets you know that was the the thing there in back home that money was just everywhere never talk he said well you have to work hard but i had heard that you know and say oh mine is on the streets so and he was happy for me to come to kind of Do you remember what you first thought when you landed on Pier 21? What at Halifax?

I don't know really to say that, you know, I was excited. I was, maybe I was excited because I was going somewhere. Because to me, I left that town because I didn't know Greece. I had never gone beyond my small town. small town of 2,000 people. What was the small town? I don't know if I heard that right off the, I may have not asked.

That was the, I used Nicola, St. Nicholas, that was the name of the town. But, you know, we used to call it Castri. You know, beyond that, I had never been anywhere. And when I came to Halifax, look around, you know. And, you know, everything was big. Now, coming back, I had heard of skyscrapers, you know, all United States and Canada,

they have skyscrapers. You know, and as I was coming with a train, you might laugh, but that was my thought. We passed a town, and they had those. A little train station or something? No. What do we call? Beside the train station, there used to be those,

they put the weed in. Oh, a crane elevator. The grain elevators. You know, and I said, wow. I thought that was a skyscrapers. Skisgraper. Really. Well, they're a big building.

They were, well, sitting there just a little kid. Wow. But I didn't know it was just a grain elevator. So, and that's what my life was. Do you remember your first winter? Here? Oh, yes. I remember the first winter was we had snow in,

I think it was about me. middle of September. September that year. And it didn't stay very long but I remember I said wow

snowing you know like but still I was happy because that was you know and Saskatoon was not

such a big city but it was the biggest city I ever seen you know was I would say about 80,000 people at that time if that and and that's where we were staying I saw the snow in middle of September I never did ask about school did you go to school when

you got here at 16 or are you raised the workforce no rates working yeah what grade did you go to school back home then six what was school compared to here can you can one room school oh No, it was, we had, they were in doubles. You know, there was a grade one, one class, grade two, another class, and then it was three and four, joined together in five and six, another class. But that's how it was.

And the school still stands, but there's no. No students there anymore. No kids. It's empty. Why stop at grade 6? I don't know. I didn't care very much for learning. And of course, you know, I had my father.

It was the abuser. But when he left, like I said, I was, very young and I felt a freedom I said now I can do whatever I want to do and I said no I'm not going to school and I did my mom she was illitered herself because those years it was not something that you you know you learn you go to learn most of the people didn't never under school. And that's when right after school, my father left. And then I went to become a tailor. Great, you know, from 12 to 16. Well, let's jump then back to Saskatoon. You're in Saskatoon.

What's the first job you get when you get here? there was a man a tailor from back whom he was working in a shop on Canada building Katz Taylor his name was

and he took me in and I worked for two months but who would I mean what person in his right mind would trust I mean just a little kid

trust me with you know to do work on a coat really I'm surprised that they gave me the opportunity for two months and then he'll they he let me go and then I started washing dishes and a little by little I washed dishes and I You know, and on and on. And that's how I started here. Where were you living at the time, Spirole? We had rented a house. I mean, a room, not a house, a room with my father.

And then when I got married, then we moved to another apartment. then I got married and we bought a house but then we sold the house now I don't know for what reason and then we went and bought another house and that's where I you know we're living and that's where we came here from we sold the house the second house and then we came to Saskatch, and their Lloyd.

You mentioned your arranged marriage to Matina. Yeah. Do you remember what you first thought when you met her? Not really. You know, at the age of 22 and she was 18, everything looks rosy. And we had 40 days to get married. What do you mean 40 days to get married? From the time she arrived until we get married,

the government would give us 40 days. Or else she had to go back. Okay. So in 40 days, we'll get married. So on day 40, you guys get married? Well, I'm not sure. 40, 39, you know, around the, you know. But that's all we had, 40 days.

So what did you do in the 40 days leading up to the wedding? Well, we stayed in the same house that we had bought. Of course, we had separate rooms. My father was staying there and me. And if I remember correctly, my next brother, Jim, did arrive at that at that time. from Greece and my sister was there too she my sister and my sister and my wife they came together and so they we were all staying in one house yeah do you remember of the day you got married April the 30th and did you just go down to the

courthouse then no we had that church wedding. Yeah. Yeah. Now, you've been married, what did you say, 55 years now? 55, yeah.

You know, in a world where divorce and such is commonplace, how have you made 55 years of marriage work? Well, we did have

ups and downs, you know, to say that there was everything arose in, no. But you know what? Sometimes, as we say, you know, it takes two to Tengu.

So we never really consider that separation, divorce. Now, on her part, I believe that would have been a bad name for her family, that their daughter got divorced. On my part, really, I can't really say that you know why,

but I'm not the type that I jump off the train. Say, I don't want this road. You know, I'm jumping off. No, I was never like that. I made a commitment and we stick together. And it paid off. How about kids?

We had the three children, the two boys and one girl. Of course, you know Maria. She's the youngest. And Maria was born here in Lloyd. The other two were born in Saskatoon. We came when they were little. But we have a very good relationship with all three of them. One of them is in Australia, Johnny.

He's got a job there, and he's been there for just about 20 years now, you know, in the oil patch. And then, he is, he's a... He's a school teacher in Calgary. And he, you know, he took his doctorate. Like he can be a professor. And that's what he's looking for. And Maria's left with me. You know, you're seeing the movie, it says,

Dad Tula will never leave you. You know that my big, Greek fat wedding? Yeah? Yeah, Tula will never leave you. And she tells them from time to time. Maria will never leave you. Yeah. When you got here, did you speak English?

No, not a word. Not a word? Yeah. How difficult was that? Yes. Now, if I was coming now, I would say it would be very difficult. But when I came, I was 16, like a young person's mind is like a sponge.

And I learned a rather way. Not all the words were good, but, you know, the first ones I learned was several words. but it was easy to learn and of course I was working in a restaurant and I had to talk to the people what did you think Lloyd Minster when you first rolled in at that time Lloyd Minister was 4,000 people and we came for that purpose

to operate the shell and we got involved in it and we never really had time at least personally myself I would get up in the morning I'll go to work at night I will go home the other two

they were younger and they will go to the bars but I was never gone to the bars Why not? Well, remember I had three children, a wife and three children. And I spent more time with my, you know, at home with a children. So I don't know really to say that, but I was not a drinker.

And if we ever went out, we went out together. It used to be the villa we used to call it. Now it's a motel, 47 Street and 44, 44 Avenue and 47th Street and 47th Street. or 44 street and 47 Avenue. There is just kind of a motel there. Okay. And then that's where we used to go there. And in fact, I did write here a poem,

and I had the band there to sing it with dance to it. Really? Yeah. It was a special night then. Not really. Not really. No. I am, from time to time, I do write some poetry.

Poetry, yeah. And I wrote here a poem, and I don't know if I can find it. But we did dance to that because it is a song. and so you go ahead well why you're looking looking yeah let's talk about the first restaurant

the ranchero what was it like owning your own business it was good I I enjoyed you know it was the best restaurant in town you know

even though it was a shell it was the best restaurant in town. Is that the poem? Is that the poem? Yeah. Now you wrote this spirit? Yeah. For your wife?

Yeah. Okay. It says hand in hand. Hand and hand we walked together. Hand in hand, just me and you. Since the day we walked in church and we both said I do. Hand and hand we walked together through this life no matter what. hand in hand will walk together until death do us part please you should remember dear life isn't all rows through all along our path there might be thistles but we'll walk them right through

hand in hand we walk together through this life no matter what hand and hand we'll walk together until death do us part and it says this song was sung by taraband yeah and written for my wife Tina April 1974 I should have had you read that It would have been better coming out of your voice. That's pretty good. I'll read the other anyway. So, and that is, you know, like, we do have a good relationship with my wife. And from time to time, I surprise you.

What do you like to surprise her with? Well, with this, you know, he says on our 50th anniversary. Yeah? Yeah. Yeah. It says, these are 50 roses and they are for you, my dear, reminders of my love for you, one for each year. We walk through many thistles, but our love remained true.

It was the love of Jesus in our heart who will help us through. I believe in God who loves us, and in him I put my trust. He will give us many years until death do us part. So today, my lovely bride in the presence of our friends, I will tell you that I love you and I love you until the end. Do you ever look back on your life, Sparrow, and go you're very fortunate to have your wife come to you that way? No.

I don't look back that but I do look ahead now life is not a ball of cherries love is I mean marriage is what you make of it because there are two people

and that they trying to yet we have our own our own ways we try to persuade the other person but the same time we should accept the other person

for who they are you know and say well sometimes we meet this girl she looks nice she's all you know but we really don't know her

I don't think that if you meet a girl down the street or in the bar or you know I don't think you know her just like I didn't know my wife and she was on the other end of the I give her you saying

you know but say well oh I met here oh you know you know and I'm blah you know but but it's what we make out of it afterwards.

Because, probably my language, but, you know, the honeymoon is over a year, two, at the most. Then it comes the hard work. It's not something that you say, well, we're going to live a honeymoon life for 55 years. That's not how it's. it works. I think that's bang on. I don't think you could say it any better than that. Regardless, 55 years. Yeah. Proven to put it. That is an exceptional test of time.

It is. And you know what? We still, today, we never go to bed without giving a kiss to each other. We never, I never live home in the morning without giving a kiss, always. He said, well, that has become a habit. Those are good habits. Very good habits. Affection is a very good habit. Yeah. Yeah, that is the thing that we... When you, we talk about your kids, growing up, was there things that you, was there things that you, What was some of the lessons you tried to instill on or teach them? I don't know if you can teach your kids by finger. You have to teach your kids by example.

Because my father tried to teach me by beating me up and I went the other way. But you see, the kids need. anybody's kids, they need to say, show me, don't tell me. There is a song. I forget there. And she was saying, show me that you love me, don't tell me. And that's what anybody's kids won. You know, don't, you know, some parents and many parents,

they're trying to say, you know, don't. do as I do, do as I say. And that's the funniest thing that we can ever tell our kids, right? Yeah. Doesn't matter you have little kids. What they want? I say, well, they want to see dad, a love mom. And you know what?

The chance are 99.9% of the, you know, when they're, They grow up, they want to say, I won what my dad was. But if they, you know, if they see different outside of the home and different inside the home, then say, well, I don't want to live here. That's a funny thing. Kids can find that out pretty darn quick. Oh, they can. Yeah, they can.

Ever since they're little. How about the 80s? We were talking about them before Peter Gula. Gulaq. You know, one of the things that is written about you in 2003 book of history or whatever on Lloyd Minster, his name comes up. And a couple of things I've read about you, his name comes up. Just as somebody who, and correct me if I'm wrong here. But in the 80s, the economy was very bad.

You go bankrupt, loses the house by this guy. And then he turns around and loans you money to keep you float. Okay. In the 80s, the economy went bad, really belly up. Who were not the only ones? The interest rate when kept on going up, it went up to 24%. Probably you weren't even born that time. Wasn't born yet?

No. And that was the time we lost that 3K ranch house where Cliff Roses. We lost the business. We lost the building. And then we'll along with went the house. And now I'm with three young children. and really that was the lowest part of my life, looking in my children.

And nobody would hire me because I was overqualified for what they were looking. Now, I did work at the wayside in what is now. I forget. And then the chef, after two months he fired me

and then about a month later he quit himself and I looked for a job and nobody would hire me because they did you know they ask you have experience I said yeah how long

20 years and then they would say you know we don't need anybody because it was more you know say well if you were going to hire this guy we have to pay him.

And I went like this for two months and I had lost the interest to live. That's how bad I was. Now, my wife was working in an old folks' home and we had just a little bit of money coming in. And I went to the credit union to pay the rent for the house, $700. And Peter Goodlake says to me, call me in the office.

He says, no, he came out actually in the counter. And he says, do you want a business? And I said, Peter, I said, you must be joking with what? With buttons? Just don't worry about the money. I said, which one? He showed me across the street. It used to be a little place about this width, 15 feet, or 25 feet wide.

And it was really nothing there. The guy had it more than a day. He had left it to the bank. and the bank was looking after it. So I went to, I went home. I went and I looked at it. To me, anything was looking good at that point. So I went home and I told my wife

and I said, would you like to go and see it? She said, yeah, we went and saw it. And knowing the way I was feeling, and she says, yeah, I don't like that. it. So we made the arrangements and I said how much he wants. No, I don't have a penny to my name. And he says he wants $30,000. I said, I'll give him 15. And he says, I'll talk to him. So the next day he called me and he says he will take. 20. Okay, but I said I need two more thousand dollars for, to buy a toaster and a little fridge because I had hardly anything there.

He says, okay, so he gave me from his own point. Now the bank would not hitch him, no bank will ever, once you go broke, they don't give you money. He gave me $22,000 from his own pocket. He says, if you make it for a year, that was the exact words. If you make it for a year, we'll put you in the system. And I said, okay, and we start working. We started May the 15th we got in. We had our friends. They came.

They helped us clean up and everything. And we started working on May the 15th. And little by little, we call it the lighthouse. Why did you call it the lighthouse? Because ships that are in distress, they have the lighthouse as a guide. And it was just a little scientist. you had about this wide and about this tall and I made it like a lighthouse on the top it was just kind of turning and we started working and we made you know we started

we started accumulating a little bit money but the same time I open up a catering business from that place We were doing catering. We went in every place. I went to, as far as on the other side of North Balford, up north, I had gone many times doing catering. Wherever they called me, I went. And we called the sunlight catering.

Now, not with a U, with an O. The Sun. of God catering, the sunlight catering. And we start working hard during the day we open from 8 o'clock in the morning until about 5 or 6 o'clock in the afternoon. And then from there on I would do a caterer. I would go out to different place and do catering. and that's how we started and that was the time that we started putting the banquets

at the Agricarchan Church Hall for people on Thanksgiving Day and we started putting the catering I mean a banquet a meal for people that

couldn't afford one exactly and we have 300, 350. We filled up the place. Why did you start the Thanksgiving supper? Because I was thankful because somebody saw something in me and invested himself the $22,000, knowing that he might lose it. And each one of us, we need an opportunity given by somebody else.

Now, say, well, do you know that if you ever reach anybody? I don't know. And that's not the point. All I stood up there, and I would just give them a little bit of my testimony, how this one man help us and I told them that God loved them and that was because God loves us all equally

and I say you know sometimes we feel that we're isolated from man and from God but no maybe people may isolate this, but God never does that. And that's how we started. And then, I don't remember two years, three years after, he called me back and he says, do you, you want your house back? I said, Peter, I don't have this kind of money, $70,000 to pay for the house.

He says, no. He says, from now on, the rent that you pay, several hundred dollars a month will become a down payment for your house and when you end up with $5,000 in the bank then we'll turn it over to you. That was a good

deal. I couldn't go wrong with it. And he gave us our house back. It's pretty powerful stuff for a guy to change a life like that. Yeah. Yeah, and that's what, you know, then I realized that it wasn't me that he was doing it for. He had done it to many people. Because wherever I have told the story, he said, yeah, that was Peter.

And some people say, yeah, he done that for me. Peter's still alive? No, no, he's dead. Yeah. and then after eight years seven years we sold the place and with a little bit money that we left were left with we went down 7-11 mall and we started the little place 25 people again sitting and we started you know little Little by little. Meanwhile, we took the place, somebody else opened, the old place, the three cave.

Somebody bought it, made the restaurant, they went broke. Somebody else bought it, made the restaurant, went broke. Then Cliff Rose bought it to put clothes. And upon I found out, I went there and I said, what are you going to do with the equipment? He says, you want to buy it? You want to buy it? them? I said, yeah. How much you want? He says, I'll tell you. I'm going to talk to my partner and I'm going to let you know. And now we're talking about the canopy, about the stove, the stoves themselves, the deep fryers, the tables, chairs, you name it. I said, how much they won? $17,000. That was about $200,000 equipment.

And he gave it to us for $17,000. And we, I took them and I put them in the garage. And then when we started the new place, the old Spiros, we, like I didn't put any money of my own. But I had the equipment. And I put the stove, put everything that I need. And we started that place,

sitting again 25 people. And then we expanded next bay. And then again next bay. From 25 people, we end up sitting about 135 or 125. That place. and we stay there for 18 years. In the course of history in Lloyd, anywhere, but Lloyd specifically,

there's been a ton of restaurants coming in and out of here. Yeah. What did you do differently? Or what separated you from everybody else? You know, we're part. We've been here 50 years this month. will be 15th of August will be 50 years now I can say that I have come in

to take the money because if you look around you'll find that the majority of the places there are chains and I'll say well this is a local guy but really behind it there's a chain where we are the only

independent restaurant in town. We grew up here. We made money. We lost it all. We made money again. So we are, I don't want to,

you know, to sound like I'm bragging, but we are part of the fixture here. I don't think that sounds like bragging at all, Spiro. You know, we are you know, you go down the street, any street, and say, do you know Spiro? Nothing else.

Oh, yeah? You know, everybody knows us in town. And say, well, we have never given people an opportunity to talk against us. So, and that's how I look and say, well, you know, tons of restaurants, yes, maybe about 8. restaurants in town. But everybody's coming to accumulate something just to get the money. No. But we are part of the community.

Let me ask you a different question. When you lost it all, what did that teach you? What lesson did that teach you when you started operating a restaurant again? You know, when we open up the restaurant, that the 3K, and I look back, and if I am, I have to be honest with myself, at that time it was a, you could shoot a cannon down the main street and not, and hit not a soul. It was that quiet. It was that quiet. you know, there was something there that

that's where pride had come in and said, at least personally myself, you know, oh, we're going to build a restaurant, but deep down, it was, I say, you know,

I want to be the best restaurant. I want to do this. I wanted to do this. You know, And the bank did not give us. The bank were dealing, he says, I can't give you money for that because the economy is bad

and it's not good to open up a restaurant now. The manager from Bank of Nova Scotia at that time told me. And almost like I felt so bad, I said, oh, scum. And I went to FBDB Federal Development Bank, and they were charging quite a bit more money than the local bank. They did give us the money, but so you see I had a warning.

The pride was there. I developed a pride. myself, I said, no, I'm going to show them on. And that's where I look and I say, you know, that's where we made the biggest mistake. If I had listened to the bank at that time, the credit, I mean, the Nova Scotia, when he said, the economy is not good now, I would have never gone through all that turmoil. Yeah. Certainly going through the turmoil was part of the experience, though,

of learning those lessons. No? It is. It was. But, you know, sometimes you say, well, I have to go through the, you know,

the bad in order to get experience. Really, we can get experience without going through that. That time, actually, I had lost, I look at my children there, and I had lost the will to live quite a few times. The thought turned my mind to end my life. That was the lowest part of my life. How did you get past that then? Well, that was the time

where Peter came along. Right when you needed them to. Yeah. That was when Peter came along and said, you want a business. And that was the lowest part of my life at that time. And to me, that little place

that 15 feet place, and white place, a white place, you know, that was the best place that I ever had because that saved my life. Yeah. I said it once before, I'll say it again. That's powerful stuff. You just never know when you put an olive branch like that, what you're doing for a person.

Yeah, and you know what? That's where we come in and say, well, you know, that was Peter. Peter, he died whether he had money or not. I don't know if he had money or how much he left. But you know what? He left legacy. Not just to me. You ask anybody in town.

Just to prove yourself, you ask anybody in town. Do you know Peter Gulloch? Oh yeah. What was he like? And they'll give you a story. If you ask some older people, you'll find out that I would say one out of ten is being helped by him.

This is such a cool, powerful story. Yeah. There's a giant lesson in there for everyone. He said, well, can we do that? ourselves why not why not yeah why not every day yeah every day it doesn't doesn't have to be twenty two thousand dollars no right no but you never know when a random act of kindness could mean you know you said it earlier everybody needs somebody to believe in them and you just never know when that

little bit of belief in somebody's idea will fuel the fire that's all right yeah yeah yeah well before I let you you go. I got a couple quick little questions. We can take as long as you want. Looking back over your lifetime, what would have been your favorite decade? If you're picking the 70s, the 80s, the

90s, the 2000s now, is there a tiny look back and just enjoyed life? Yeah, I enjoy life. I can say that there was any, I mean, There was that bad turmoil we went through.

Yes, it was there. But in overall, I can't say that it was, okay, that was my stupidity. That it caused me all that. But I can't blame anybody. I was warned. Now, from there on, there's no other time to say that, you know, there was this time good and this time bad. Because we just keep on walking through this life, no matter what. We keep on walking.

And along our path, there are some. Fistles. What do you think of this COVID-19? I never seen it before. And I don't know where it's going to end up, really. It's something that it has changed the world. In a very short time. In a very short time.

Now, what the end will be? I don't know. I can say I have no opinion let's better that because we don't know looking back

looking forward what's your biggest accomplishment then do you think the biggest accomplishment in my life is that I have left

a legacy to my children, to my family, and to the world. You say, well, you know, that's kind of bragging. No, it isn't. We always strive. And remember I talked about my mentor. He's because he did something for me, I mentioned him.

He was a good man. And that's what we need. to live for the next generation to say, well, I know Peter Gulak. I know Spiro Coconus. I know. Sean knew it. Yeah. So you see, because many people die and they are forgotten.

Because they never left anything for the next generation. Why don't we leave it there? I really, really appreciate you coming in and sitting and sharing a piece of your life story with us. I think, well, I've been fascinated. I hadn't heard much about your life sparrow. Like I said, off the top of the start of this. I've definitely been through your restaurant several times. I've seen you in passing.

I've heard some stories, but to hear it firsthand and hear you tell it is, has been a very enjoyable hour. Well, thank you very much. Yeah, I appreciate. I don't really sit down and talk about my life, but you know what, life itself talks about us. Well, thank you. Thank you.

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