Grew up in a Portuguese family in Mozambique. His father had grain storage and land and lost everything during the war of independence. The family arrived to Edmonton with nothing, The father was a broken man and the parents eventually moved to Portugal where the mother died. He is a pipefitter waiting with every cigarette break for his retirement. His life started out idyllically by the sea and after many decades of working as a pipefitter he is anxiously waiting for his retirement in a beautiful part of Portugal. He does not feel a sense of place in Alberta even after 30 years.