Eric Stendal

I’m in Sechelt, British Columbia with my sister and we’re busy spending the week clearing out the condo where our Dad and step-mother lived for over twenty plus years.

In one of the old wallets in a drawer of miscellaneous keep sakes (and a spare light bulb, elastics, and dead batteries), I found this business card.

The card was my Dad’s. He was an insurance broker in the 1980’s after gaining his chops at Great West Life Assurance Company in Edmonton, Alberta. After our move from Alberta to British Columbia, he became a broker.

Dad set up shop in Mission, BC (we lived in Surrey at the time). It was a long drive for him, but afforded him a big territory to work within.

I remember him liking the clientele that he was serving. “Quite a lot of good characters,” he would always tell me.

Well, his business partner’s name was Chuck Trebilcock. I can remember Chuck calling for Dad at the house, and I happened to answer the phone. “Hi, is this Eric?” he asked. “Yes,” I replied. “My name is Chuck Trebilcock. Your Dad talks fondly of you and says that you’re a good son, is he home by chance?” “Sure is,” I replied, “one sec and I’ll get him for you…”

“Dad!?” I called loudly through the house. “Yes?” “Phone!” “Who is it?” “It’s Cock Trebilchuck…..” I replied.

Well, Dad came to the phone quite quickly and grabbed the receiver from me. He then said, “Hello? Chuck?” No answer. Then he heard chortling and laugher. “Chuck?”

“Did you hear what your son called me?” Aasked Chuck.

“No…what did he say?”

“He called me …. OMG I can’t stop laughing…..he said, ha ha ha…..”Cock Trebilchuck is on the phone!”

That was a pretty big laugh and finding this simple business card brought back this memory. Just had to share it.