Myles Goodwyn - Just Between You And Me: A Memoir

O n the morning of November 28, 2008, I awoke from a restless sleep feeling terrible. I was nauseous and extremely weak. Truth be toldand that is the point of this publicationI was used to feeling dreadful and enervated on many a morning, but through sheer willpower I was usually all right with enough resolve to carry on.

I had gone to bed somewhat intoxicated the night before. I say somewhat; others might and did say, as it turned out, that I probably went to bed three sheets to the wind and feeling no pain. Well, folks, I was in pain that morning and I was having a rough time, and it was soon to get much rougher. Things were bad. I just had no idea how bad.

Was it Dean Martin who said, I feel sorry for people who dont drink, because when they wake up in the morning, thats as good as theyre going to feel all day?

I limped to the kitchen for a quick coffee, which I carefully carried back upstairs so I could get showered and dressed. But first I made an effort to make sure I wasnt forgetting anything before I left for the airport. I never liked to pack the night before a trip; I still dont. I prefer to throw it all together last minute, although I will have a casual look-see the night before to make certain Ill be able to put my hands on what I need quickly when I do pack, and thats about it, folks. This lack of preparation usually works.

If I do forget something, aside from essential things like my ID, my drivers licence, and my personal deck of cardsthat deck would include mostly various credit cardsthen Id just buy what I needed at the next town. No biggie.

This particular morning I had a very hard time coping with everything. I kept telling myself to keep going. You can do it, Goody!

I left the bathroom after my shower to go back into the bedroom to dress, only I didnt quite make it. I was violently sick. I threw up all the cookies and much more. My body was expelling poison. Nasty business.

I took deep breaths and steadied myself with both hands against the wall. My vision was blurred. This was serious. As serious as Jerry Mercer, the hefty then-drummer for April Wine, also known for his brutish appetite, at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Yes, that serious!

That morning I ploughed on, tenacious in my determination to get to the airport on time and fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where, along with other members of April Wine, past and present, I was going to receive a lovely award from local radio station Q104 FM. I somehow managed to pack and be ready when friend and bandmate Brian Greenway arrived to take us both to Montreals Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.

Good morning, Brian, I managed weakly as I slipped into his car that morning.

Good morning, he replied innocently.

We left for the airport.

The drive from my home to the airport takes about thirty-five minutes, door to door. About twenty minutes into the drive I asked Brian to pull over. I felt like I was going to be sick again.

We got off Highway 40 west at the exit for Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, which is about forty kilometres west of Montreal. I stood off to the right of the car. I crouched down and tried to throw up, but despite feeling sick, I could not. I stood up. And then... nothingness.

Brian Greenway:

Myles got out and bent over trying to vomit but nothing was coming up. After about a minute of this I saw him stand up, and then he passed out and fell over backwards, striking his head very hard on the concrete sidewalk. I jumped out and rushed over to find him with his eyes semi-open but unconscious with his lips trembling.

I called his name a few times with no response. I lifted his head to get it off the snow and slush on the sidewalk, and thats when Isaw the blood flowing from the wound in his head. I gently put his head back down, not wanting to move him further in case he had suffered a neck injury in the fall, and called 911.

By this time a trucker, who was stopped in the rest area, was running over to help. People in passing cars, who had seen him fall, were also stopping to help. I gave 911 the coordinates as to where we were. By this time, I had help on the scene from a female passerby who thankfully was a nurse named Natalie, who was also in agreement not to move Myles, who was conscious by this time and wanting to get up. He was confused and asking what had happened and where I was. I was getting a blanket and umbrella from the car to shelter him with.

Within six minutes two police cars from the Quebec Provincial Police arrived, assessed the situation, and called the ambulance. Minutes later, the fire department arrived and took over the scene, still not moving Myles. He wanted to get up and was very cold but was not allowed to move by the first responders. He wanted to know where I was, and I called out that I was here and with him.

I called Breen [LeBoeuf, bass player for April Wine at the time] and told him the situation as I knew it and advised him not to get on the flight and that I would keep him in the loop.

After about ten to fifteen minutesit may have been less or more; there was so much going on to rememberthe ambulance arrived. After a few minutes examination, they put Myles on a back board and stretcher and then into the ambulance but did not depart to the hospital. I waited outside the vehicle, and after a few minutes, one of the ambulance techs came out to talk to me. He asked me how long we had been partying for.

I replied, What?

He said that Myles was very, very intoxicated. I knew Myles had been battling alcohol for some time, but I had little idea he had been drinking again in the last year. The police at this point were very interested to talk to me again to see if I was driving drunk. Of course, I had not been, but they had to check.

I was allowed into the ambulance. Myles was awake and coherent. The ambulance techs at this point were aware of just who Myles was. I dont know what they thought but, then again, they are professionals and have seen just about everything in their job.

We stayed at the roadside for at least twenty-five minutes before I was notified they were going to transport him to the Lakeshore General Hospital some fifteen minutes away.

I had gone into Myles bag to see if there was a phone number for Lisa, Myles wife at the time, who was in Florida. I found a cell number for her and was going to call her from the hospital, but Lisa called as I was following the ambulance to the hospital. I informed her as to what I knew and told her I would keep her updated.

About forty-five minutes had gone by since Myles had collapsed, and I had parked and entered emergency at the Lakeshore General Hospital. Breen had also just arrived from the airport.

At the hospital, Breen and I were allowed to be at bedside in the emergency ward with Myles, who was very awake and aware, while we waited for the doctor to come. We half-heartedly joked with him, and Myles was exclaiming that he really blew it this time. What were we to say? This was neither the time nor the place to make any sort of judgmental remarks. I still was making calls to Steff Pilon [April Wines road manager] and George Elmes [April Wines booking agent] explaining what was happening and that getting to Halifax for the Q104 awards was out of the question.

There was an orderly in emergency named David who recognized Myles and Breen and me as being with April Wine. David made