Passport & New Life!
Currently living on the southwest coast of Devon in the UK. A small seaside town of Torquay, UK.
We continue his story from Part III
Clan Macpherson and Scottish Roots
Being of Clan Macpherson blood, Chris has always dreamed of being back in the mountains of The Highlands. Back in the land of his people. The land of his past. Some say that nothing on our wonderful planet comes close to its awesome awe and wonder. As a young teen growing up he and his friends made their own clan-style club. The name association from his mother’s side qualifies him as a related member of the Clan MacPherson.
He always knew he bled tartan blood. For some, the bloodlines are very strong and were very important in the way thing operated in the Clan beliefs and social structure.
This is an actual document from Alan G. Macpherson. He must be a distant relationship to Chris somewhere back there?
Download the great PDF file – https://clan-macpherson.org/museum/documents/alang01.pdf.
So so much today as it was many years ago. Scots have always been a proud and brave people. They stood strong, very strong against the Romans in ancient days gone by. Fought many a blood-soaked battle for their independence and FREEDOM!!! We all remember the phrase from Braveheart!
It is well known that the descents of Clan Chattan are from the ancient Picts.
According to the Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland, the Picts did not arrive – in a sense they had always been there, for they were the descendants of the first people to inhabit what eventually became Scotland”.
The Picts are often described as the descendants of the indigenous Iron Age people of northern Scotland.
It is thought that they came originally from Scandinavia as a cohesive group. Over a land connection to the mainland of Europe.
Since they left no written record of their history, what is known of them comes from later Roman and Scottish writers and from images the Picts themselves carved on stones.
The Great Clan
Given the great Clan Chattan descended from a tribal Pictish group.
Another thing about Chris becomes amazingly clear.
As the thread of time passes up through the ages, ancient inner strengths and very old traditional beliefs remain genetically and intrinsically strong.
This may be the “Spiritual Force” that Chris feels and believes in. To me this is quite possible form what I have heard so far in the epic sojourn of his quest!
Just a side note: For all those in the USA. Ever see a Scottish Rugby Match. Makes American Football look like a romper room or maybe a prom date. Scotland The Brave!!!
Check this out when you have a moment –
HIGHLIGHTS | France v Scotland
262,356 views • Published Mar 27, 2021
Lets Get Back to The Tale
At the age of 11, Chris took his first drink and drug. (Jack Daniels Whiskey and a marijuana “Reefer” joint).
He was only 11 years old when he first used drugs and drank alcohol. He was attending Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School. It was 5th Grade in the USA and Year 6 in the UK schools.
Under a little bridge, next to a flowing mountain stream across the road in front of the school.
North Cheyenne Creek is a stream which flows clean and clear mountain water through the southwest side of Colorado Springs. It comes down from North Cheyenne Canon and the from the high southern peaks of the Pike’s Peak area.
The timberline is at 10,000 feet. All the tall pines stops growing up there.
This is were most vegetation can not grow, at 10000 feet atmospheric pressure drops to 7.2 kPa, which is roughly one third of the pressure at sea level. Which means less O2 molecules for live the thrive.
The entire area where Chris was a young teen was popular and very well to do!
The Broadmoor was only 2 blocks from Chris’s families 2 different homes they had owned one the same road. home on Crest Road. 130 and 136 Cresta Road, Colorado Springs Colo. 80906
One was a nice Doctor home which he originally built for himself and his wife, She died and then he sold it to his father. The other two properties down the hill, a very nice 5 bedroom executives home. Chris always said his back yard had a 500 foot cliff which he climbed often.
The Broadmoor World Arena
The Broadmoor was also the location of the internationally famous World Arena. Home to the USA Olympic Ice Hockey and Figure Skating organizations.
The Broadmoor World Arena was a skating rink and hockey arena located at The Broadmoor Resort & Spa in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Originally an outdoor equestrian center and riding academy, the building was enclosed and converted into an ice arena which opened in January 1938
Teams and skaters continuously at the ice rink. This is where Chris learned to play ice hockey. At the rink as well as the lakes and ponds located around the area.
He spent most of his free time here skating as much as possible, sometimes 6-7 hours a day. I would say he could be called a “Rink Rat”. That’s what Chris uses to describe his devotion to the ice. It is also the place where he had his first very close call with death.
During one of his games when he was playing he came up behind an opposing player.
Lucky Cotton was the kids name. He fell to his knees while still behind Lucky and then he fell and kicked out his legs, donkey style, almost seemingly with ill intent. purposeful and deliberate.
The freshly razor edge of the professionally sharpened blades slammed into Chris face like a meat clever. Sharp as a barbers straight razor. Many hours of plastic surgery and a few pints of blood to replace what he had gushed out from the wound.
This video is a great one for seeing how the pros do it. Teddy Richards, head equipment manager for the Florida Panthers, gives Kelly Saco a lesson on skate sharpening.
Survived to Fight Another Day
Chris survived the attack with a fresh battle scar. And he said he looked like Frankenstein for awhile.
Many people watching the game thought as they watched the gruesome scene that he had been killed, so when he returned there was quite the commotion with it all.
Anyone that was anyone, knew of the Broadmoor, where he and his family lived. The 69-78 up until he moved to California. AGAIN!
Extremely High-end, as his step Dad was assigned to work with NORAD in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
NORAD’s super secret base deep inside to mountain’s southern side.
That the place that watch for ICBM missile as well as everything in space. I mean everything.
This first drink would seal his fate as an alcoholic and drug addict, coupled with an underlying mental health concern.
At Once It Happened
No more than just a few second after that first drink immediately did alcohol and drugs became a priority for Chris. It became the “Secret Sauce” as it was an answer for him. Almost his sole purpose in his young teenager life.
Chris felt as if he had found what he was so missing. Peaceful ease and comfort with good friends to boot. Nirvana.
No more alone with his dilemma. Being one of the cool kids in his school, those that were friendly and like mined, as well as having a very mischievous and adventurous “Spirit”, like his!
Long lost brothers and sister, just like the kids from the orphanage back in the UK He always longed for the fun and friends he once. Those he trusted and loved. A Belonging. His tribe.
But the news was not good for our long traveled friend. By the time Chris was 12 he was using harder and harder drugs.
Snow Blinded
Cocaine powder, LSD and mescaline as well as amphetamine pills was a plenty bountiful in his wealthy hood.
All the rich kids had a stash they finagled from their parents when they had “Colorado Snow Bowl” parties. One of his friends family owned part of Vail Ski Resort.
Chris snorted his first line at 12 and took a injection at just age 13. Wow, but tragic. Intravenous drug use at 13 years old.
Something was terribly wrong with him, and he stated to realize it, early on. However, even at that prime young age he found it impossible to leave it alone for long. It was the “whatever, whenever attitude” that functioned from most often.
His older friends called him, “That Damn Little Hippie”. Funny name.
Memories
Chris does remember quite well.
He remembers the kids back at the home in the UK.
All kids who played, loved and cared for each other like real brothers and sisters.
Especially Chris, as he was the youngest child that the Children’s Society Home home had ever taken in. 1961 was the year.They all took really good care of him there.
They treated him as the homes little mascot and show kid, Great for all their sponsors and contributors to come visit on special days and holidays.
Especially Christmas time. That was the very best! Toys, and fun and more toys!
More Memories
Needing to be accepted and liked at all costs, all of his future decisions would be all based upon the trauma of abandonment. His affliction of adverse experiences was serious and very harmful. Primarily from the abandonment by his birth mother, A “Mummy” who he loved as a happy little baby in Scotland.
He can actually describe and recall times when he was just 2. He had a pet turtle from the garden he played with.
He had a little tricycle and rode and rode it all the time with his little friends from Arron Road.
That was the r in South Queensferry with he and mum lived while his father was out to sea.
His real true Daddy was a real sailor. A Chief Petty Office who served with honor in her Majesties Navy. He was an Artificer in service to Majesty’s Royal Navy. Chris does have vague memories of him when he was in town, back from the sea. Like Popeye the Sailor!
An Artificer is an appointment held by a member of an armed forces service who is skilled at working on electronic, electrical, electro-mechanical and/or mechanical devices.
Brian Anthony France, his birth-father served proudly about aboard both a submarine and the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (R09).
All the shots of Tom Wilkinson, Fleet Chief Master at Arms, from the BBC Sailor series 1976. Also starring Sheila Wilkinson.
HMS Ark Royal sails in to Plymouth.
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1979, was the Royal Navy’s last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier.
In 2015 Chris learned his Father died in Plymouth, Devon, here in the United Kingdom while still in active service to the Queen.
He passed at the age of 47. It was 1978 when his “Daddy” died.
That’s not all that Chris has learned since arriving back home in the UK.
END OF PART IV – This is where the “BIG REVEAL” comes into play.
Chris had made a few inquires to the Children’s Society’s Main London offices. Oh BOY!!! Did he hit the proverbial Jackpot!
They responded with an immediate email wanting to set up a time to have a meeting, although it would take some time to do all their required paperwork for such a task.
Once more. Thanks.
Please continue reading at – https://thespiritualriver.com/the-spiritual-river-pt V
