"The Prospector's Trail"

The short story "The Prospector's Trail" is about a young couple newly out of training at a college where they got their tourism certificates, and cant find a steady job. After Norman had lost many jobs and grew a reputation throughout the city, and Jeniffer could not make enough to support them both they decide to move to Yellowknife, and follow Norman's remaining dream of opening an interpretive center. They leave with their van, old furniture, little belongings, and no more than a few hundred dollars. They stay at what seems to be a campsite with another couple, Roy and Elsie, they meet that are staying in a new camper (opposed to the old, ragged, moldy tent Norman and Jeniffer are staying in) while they try to set up their plans for the center. Jeniffer treats Norman badly and threatens to leave Norman if he doesn't pull his life together, or if she ever catches him wearing a plaid jacket. After some convincing Roy(the husband of the other couple), takes Norman out prospecting order to give him the true northern experiance, Roy tries to fool Norman and not tell him his secret prospecting spot, however, Roy takes pity on Norman after Norman tells Roy how Jennifer will leave him if he doesn't make money soon and takes hi to the real place. To Normans surprise Roy leads him to the dump, Norman then realizes that the way Roy made his living by cleaning up, and selling items from the dump. Roy find a small tarp that is perfect for Norman's and Jeniffer's"s tent to cover the holy and Norman then tries looking through the piles of garbage, and finds a plaid jacket, just like Roy's, and just like the kind Jeniffer would leave him over. Norman knew that by taking, cleaning and wearing this jacket, he is ending his marriage, but he doesn't seem to mind because he is unhappy and this is the only way he can move on in his life.

I connected to this story in one way because last summer my grandparents came form Alberta to go camping with us on the island, they brought their new motor home, we brought our old tents. My grandma rarely left the motor home(much like Elsie), as she cooked, had showers and lived in it as if she was at home, I, however, got stuck with the bad tent with the wrong poles and ended up sleeping with the top of the tent resting on me. It wasen' t very fun sleeping but we all still had fun, and it was good to see them, as i usually only do maybe once a year. I really like the ending of this story because it really changed Normans life, for the better, and he had to make such a hard, but in the end, right, decision.