Now I have an appreciation for the phrase. From using it colloquially in Newfoundland and in particular out the bay, it's not as condescending as I felt, or at least not the way Brigus uses it and to a greater extent the person who said it today. I realize it is a word reserved for people who aren't of the greatest moral fibre, but not necessarily those who deserve to put down because of their current situation in life.
Riff Raff are some of those whom I have witnessed since I've been coming to Alberta for work. Don't get me wrong there are "Riff Raff" everywhere.
I usually fly from St.John's to Calgary and spend a few days with friends Joe and Maya, and then travel to Grande Prairie. Being amongst friends when in a strange place eases me into being away from home.
Anyways when I travel to GP from Calgary I used to take a Grey Hound bus. This I found was very stressful, not to mention the 12 hour ride from midnight to noon and not getting any sleep. Joe drops me off outside in the freezing cold and I grab my 2 bags weighing in at just over 100 pounds and throw my napsack over my shoulder. I say goodbye to Joe and Maya give them each a hug. As I walk from the vehicle toward the door my anxiety kicks in.
The whole ordeal is rather unpleasant. It entails walking into a not so clean - fairly cold - bus station or depot as it is properly called. When there I usually go straight to the ticket window to verify the time of departure and get ready for a shitty travel experience. I sit on a hard plastic seat and notice the cold surrounding my feet like a fog. Keeping your belongings close to you is important in a place like this as you feel the threat of theft. I notice the people around me, how they're dressed, what they're carrying and their overall mood. I try to look like I belong there as my mind tells me I don't. Why? I'm not sure.
The annoucement for departure doesn't come over an intercom but rather the subtle removing of a barricade by the driver who also checks your ticket and directs you through the loading door. Carrying a large clean hockey bag and large clean duffle bag and a napsack is very awkward and inconvenient, I think to myself next time I will pack lighter. I walk into a damp, cold, wet and dirty loading area where some guy grabs your stuff and puts it on the wet dirty concrete, this increases my anxiety, especially since I'm 100% sure my baggage will arrive at my destination.
I walk onto the bus and look for a seat, walking past people who are all seated next to the window with their belongings taking up the seat - a clear sign they don't want you sitting next to them. As more people come onto the bus most of those people are obligated to let someone sit in the seat next to them. This perturbs me, because in a situation like this I really value my personal space.
So we get going and making all the stops along the way. Towns that hardly seem like towns. Places that have long gone to sleep. The sound of the brakes bleeding off air and the hum and sound of the motor changing gears is a constant. Every 20 minutes at least is permeated by a stop, they call it the milk run. Many times the driver has to drop off packages as the bus also tows a trailer. Greyhound runs a courier service and you are fully aware of this when the bus stops and no one gets on or off. It's just another interuption allow the way, worse for some who are lucky enough to catch a wink here and there.
Every couple of hours the driver stops for the "Riff Raff" to file out into the severely sub-zero sting of an Alberta winter for a - must have - cigarette. Watching from the window you can barely make out the smoke rising up into the air slightly illuminated by the paltry amount of light coming from the street lamps.
Finally we arrive in Edmonton where all must get off the bus, retrieve your luggage and sit in the Downtown Edmonton depot. Again a cold place both in temperature and atmosphere, places like these are rarely nice places to be. It's a transition place, a place of coming and going but never staying. You just simply endure.
Back on the road again and I notice some new arrivals. This one woman has obviously slept on her hair as it is terribley out of whack or at least I think it is. She has brought with her in one hand a large green garbage bag which I assume her belongings are in. In her other hand a multi task is under way. She is balancing a purse on her shoulder, holding a soiled looking pillow and a warm, flat 710ml bottle of Coca Cola Classic. Mmm I can just taste it, and that gross sensation in your mouth well after drinking your last drop. I bet her breath smells bad, I will also bet she's gonna fire up a smoke the first chance she gets. Is she Riff Raff or someone who hasn't had all the opportunities some of us have been afforded?
