Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Abandonment Issues: The Hunting Lodge

Hunting Lodge in the middle of Nowhere, 
Ontario.

The hunting lodge is prepped and ready for visitors. Linens have been folded and placed into pillow cases, and are resting on the laundry machines. The fridge is propped open, the water pump is off, as is the power. All of the windows and doors are locked. There is remarkably little dust, everything seemingly in its place. The maps are drawn and the European porn is stacked high on an end table. A blonde woman reaches into her panties and pauses, for an endless amount of time. To her right, a brunette lady raises her exposed bare hind quarters and stares up at me seductively. I look up. I move on. Radio, flashlight, batteries, check, check, check. 3 kettles rest atop the stove. The kitchen is fully equipped: Sunlight, spices, napkins, dish rack, towels, pots and pans, cutlery, dishes, garbage bags, etc.

The lodge is prepped and stocked so well, its as if a herd of hunters is about to come barrelling through the door half in the bag, ready to start killing shit. And here I am, Houdini with a camera and an escalating heart rate. Nine chairs surround the table like a swarming posse. The lump in my throat broadens, the creeks, they give me the creeps, my stomach muscles tighten up.

IMG_1290

IMG_1329

From outside, the place appears long abandoned. Wooden slats had been painted red only on the front side of the house and the green roof has rusted into a camo-pattern. To my immense displeasure, the long grass provides adequate shade for seven hundred thousand or so mosquitoes. I must look like one of the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm-Flailing Tube Men swinging at the mosquitoes as they bleed me drier than a Rockwood Insane Asylum patient in the mid-1800s. The shed out back has partially collapsed and I am smack dab in the middle of Nowhere, Ontario. It must be abandoned, I argue with a few of the voices in my head.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs, alone, the sinking feeling just keeps sinking, feeling like I'm not alone. A rack full of aged clothing and a dated vacuum disappear behind me as I creep silently up the stairs. All of the doors are closed, and the brightest of white lights angelically glows from beneath them. I tiptoe from room to room, sneaking open each door until the floor is cleared, ready for anything. My back story is sound, the character I'm playing is a regular and I know him well. As I open each door, I ponder the possibilities of what I might come across - A sleeping woman, an old man, an aggressive dog, a dead body, a pack of nine pissed off hunters? Once the floor is cleared, my camera takes lead and I follow it like a sheep to its Shepard, heart still racing. I find myself pondering the possibilities of way back when, only for a brief moment, before the fight or flight instinct pulls me back outside. Score another round to the mosquitoes; pesky fuckers. 

How long has it been since they have used this Hunting Lodge? Who are they? And when, or even will they be back? I still don't have any answers, but I have a handful of photographs.

IX chairs
IX chairs

Porner (Porn Corner)
Porner (Porn Corner)

club MAYFAIR
club mayfair

THE ROOM
THE ROOM

the pot calling the hash black
the pot calling the hash 
black

shottys and rifles
shottys and rifles

The Hunter Games
The Hunter Games

go the fuck to sleep
go the fuck to sleep

going down on a hunting lodge
going down on a hunting 
lodge

a bedtime story
a bedtime story

boom beddy bye bye
boom beddy bye bye

lite brite
lite brite

cabin fever
take it as it comes

With so much left unsaid, I have nothing else to say.

click here to check out all of jerm & ninja IX's ABANDONMENT ISSUES

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Abandonment Issues: Apsley Fire House

apsleyfire1

At 3:59 am on December 1st, 2010, Kemp's Shell service station went up in flames. The historic building had stood in the heart of Apsley for over a century and as the only gas station in town, it was a great loss to the small community. All 40 volunteer firefighters from the North Kawartha Fire Department were called in to fight the blaze, as well as back-up from Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield. The gas pumps were buried deep and contained a safety valve that shut off the gas in case of fire, but the real concern was the fact that the service station was full of propane tanks, according to the North Kawartha Fire Chief. Despite the extensive efforts, the building was lost. However, firefighters managed to contain the fire to the service station, preventing it from spreading to the neighbouring homes and businesses, with one exception: The Apsley Antique House. Located behind the gas station, it suffered severe damage from the heat, which melted the blue siding and the shingles atop the roof.

The Apsley Antique House, which operated as an antiques shop on weekends, is visible on the left in the following image.

apsleyfire2
Both firefighter action shots were found online.

At 11:29 am on May 2nd, 2011, five months and one day after the fire ravaged the building, I approached the site. I was unaware of the history that I just shared with you as I walked up on a construction crew rebuilding the gas station and saw the abandoned house next door, in all its melted glory. I slipped into the Liquor Store and copped a fat bottle of rum, and through the window, I watched. It was obvious right from jump, I had only one option, walk up, spark a conversation and talk my way in. Back pack off, flashlight in pocket, long sleeves over tattoos, hair pulled back, camera around neck, smile on face.Go.

Apsley Shell Rebuild

Apsley Fire House

I'm not gonna tell you what any of my white lie lines are to gain access to spots, but I wasted a good one here. They didn't give a shit, each man sending me to the next. "Oh, you'll have to talk to Tom, he's in the trailer." After finally identifying Tom, he said "I don't fucking care, ask Billy, he's out back." I didn't look for Billy, I accepted Tom's apathy as a yes. I exited the trailer, walked back toward the house and nodded to the first couple workers I'd approached as if I'd gotten that approval from Tom, and I walked inside.

a warm welcome
MORE INSIDE

no place for a lady
no place for a lady

the sauce
the sauce

fire pokin' blues
fire pokers

turn the lights down low
turn the lights down low

reflecting on the end of time
reflecting on the end of time

slinky
slinky

raggedy man
raggedy man

roger the alien
roger the alien

an ode to procrastinating painters
an ode to procrastinating painters

melted walls and tilted floors
melted walls and tilted 
floors

inside out
inside out / upstairs

bottle dreams
bottle dreams

Fuck Coke
Fuck Coke

sugar water
Pepsi

toy story2
toy story 2

toy story
toy story

officer down
officer down

Tung Lashor
Tung Lashor

the green party
the green party

everything but the kitchen sink
everything but the kitchen sink

alcoholics synonymous
alcoholics synonymous

monkey's kiss
MONKEY'S KISS

Prince Edward Island is upside down
Prince Edward Island

triple letter score
triple letter score

high light
high light

Apsley Fire House
Apsley Fire House

At 11:39 am on June 12th, 2011, I returned with ninja IX to find that the remaining contents had for the most part, been packed up and moved out. Construction of the gas station was nearing completion, if memory serves, but it usually doesn't.

returning to an empty house
returning to an empty house

empty bottles
empty bottles

newfound emptiness
newfound emptiness

melty melty
melty melty

"It's better to burn out than to fade away."
-Neil Young

click here to check out all of jerm & ninja IX's ABANDONMENT ISSUES