I recall walking to a street corner with my brother who was on his way to school. I had to return to Mum and I was very upset. I was just over a year old.

Now, this one is truely hard to believe, even for me at this stage of my life.

Dad was RCAF and stationed in Germany. In France, there was a faction of what would now be called terrorists. Their flag was a white flag. In Paris, one diaper was left and I peed. Mum was holding it out the car window to dry it and the French secret service (or military, or whatever... not police because there was a machine gun involved) pulled us over.

Mum tried to talk with these guys and explain... but drapeau is the Acadian word for diaper (and for flag, of course). They became rather agitated. I expect the following memory was induced by the fact that Mum was agitated and scared. I clearly remember seeing a guy look thru the rear window with his machine gun leading the way.

According to Mum, at that point, he began to laugh... and so did all the others who came to have a look. That was when Mum and Dad were able to show them Canuck passports, military ID... problem solved.

I only remember that guy with the machine gun. Like a snapshot... but it has faded over time. I was about 5 months old.