It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time : An Immigrant's Memoir

by Chris Phippard, Dave Miller (Contributor)

“‘So why do you want to leave all you have here?’ Dad’s words hung in the air.

I felt my face begin to flush as I swallowed and fought to fill my lungs. My chest felt tight; my breathing was shallow.

The question was legitimate enough, but I was surprised and hurt by my father’s tone. He was unusually direct. I felt stifled by his and my brother’s presence as we faced off in my grandparents’ living room.

The inquisition had started suddenly and out of the blue. The sudden barrage of questions I now faced caught me off guard and ill prepared. Surely they must have known for years I had dreamed of emigrating to Canada. That dream had changed to a plan, and now years after its inception, that dream had a departure date – April 29, 1966.” - Introduction, p. 12

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016