I could drive anything
Courtesy: Phil Jacobs
Story told by Allen Simon
I left here at the age of 22 and went to work in Montreal, only coming back to Kanehsatà:ke on weekends. My first job in Montreal was placing cars in the parking lots. I had passed my driving test earlier, the day I turned 21. My father drove me to Montreal and that's where I passed my road test. Right away, I did the road test to get a chauffeur's license so I could drive anything. I had it in my mind to be a truck driver, which I was for a time.
I quit driving trucks because I was fed up with it. From there, I transitioned to school bus driving. I did that for 17 years. That’s where I took my pension, in 2008. I said to myself, I think it’s about time.
They still know me, some of the kids. When they see me, they say, “How are you?” A lot of kids missed me driving the bus when I took my pension, but I couldn't be working all my life, you know?
KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION
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KANIEN’KÉHA VERSION ↓
Thikawenní:io nahò:ten' akató:ri'
Allen Simon ROKÁ:RATON
22 sha'tewakohseriià:kon wa'tkaná:tahkwe' kèn:tho Tiohtià:ke sontio'ténhsera', nek tsi iotiahia'hksero'ktaníhon tontá:ke' Kanehsatà:ke. Nè:'e tontié:renhte ontió'ten' ne Tiohtià:ke né: ki' ne tsi ie'serehtaientáhkhwa' nonkwá:ti wa'ke'serehtakè:ron'. Òn:wa'k sha'tkatóhetste' nohén:ton, eh niwenhniserò:ten 21 sha'tié:rite'. Tiohtià:ke iahakhonwé:ia'te' ne rake'níha tánon' tho nón:we wa'tkatóhetste' ne ohaha'kéha watkèn:se'. Kwah óksa'k, iakotorién:nis konwatoriéstha' ohaha'kéha watkèn:se' ontió'ten' né: ki' naón:ton thikawenní:io nahò:ten' akató:ri'. Kwah ake'nikòn:rakon wá:tahkwe' ne ka'serehkó:wa akatoriè:sheke', tó:kenske nè:'e ontió'ten' ken' nikarihwésha.
Wa'kátka'we' tsi ka'serehkó:wa katórie's ase'kén onkewén:na'te eh nahò:ten'. Thò:ne, ó:ia' nahò:ten' sontió'ten' iakoia'takarénie's sakató:ri'. 17 niiohserá:ke wa'kató:ri'. Tho nón:we wa'tié:na' nakwá:wen iakoio'tenhserentà:'on akohwísta', 2008 shiiohserahsé:tas. Wa'katathró:ri' ki', ó:nen ki' ia'káhewe'.
Shé:kon niiontienté:ri, tohkára nihá:ti ne ratiksa'okòn:'a. Nó:nen eniónkken', enhonnì:ron', "Skennen'kó:wa ken?" É:so rá:ti ne ratiksa'okòn:'a wahatihnhá:ten' tsi iah teskatórie's ne iakoia'tkarénie's sha'tié:na nakwá:wen iakoio'tenhserentà:'on akohwísta' nek tsi iah thaón:ton' aontio'ténsheke' tsi nikarì:wes enkónhnheke', wáhi?
Translated by Karonhí:io Delaronde