Yellowknife (Oct 08/01) - Frank Conti, like many before him, was drawn to Yellowknife by the prospect of steady work.

A floorer by trade, Conti has worked his way around the world, from his home country of Italy to the Middle East, to Northern Africa and Canada.

Speaking with the accent of his homeland, Conti recently shared some of the views on life, himself and the world he has found during his 65 years.

Yellowknifelife: How was last winter?

Frank Conti: Not really bad. You have to have good shoes, good coat, good clothes. There were a few days that were really tough.

Yellowknifelife: Do you work in the cold, or are you always inside?

FC: I had to go out, because I started as a contractor. You have to take the material on the site.

Yellowknifelife: What's your favourite place?

FC: Italy is a paradise on earth, but living there is very expensive. Gas costs over $2 a litre, $8-9 a gallon. Work is very competitive.

There's only so much and that's it. There are cut-throats there. Now the law requires so many things. To hire a person it costs just as much to pay for insurance and so on as his wages. It's difficult.

Yellowknifelife: How long are you going to stay here?

FC: Indefinitely. I don't have plans to go anywhere. I would like to go to B.C., but everybody goes there.

Yellowknifelife: Why B.C.?

FC: Because of the climate. And it is beautiful.

Yellowknifelife: Do you enjoy the work you're doing?

FC: Oh yes. I enjoy all kinds of work. Whatever work I do I enjoy it. Work for me is like a hobby.

Yellowknifelife: Doesn't it get a little bit tiring after a while?

FC: No. It's challenging.

Yellowknifelife: Do you have any family?

FC: I have nobody. My father died in '64. My mother was already dead then. I was the only one in the family. There is a step-mother, she got married again and her husband died. She's alone. She's old.

I have cousins, here, Canadians, but I don't know where they are.

Yellowknifelife: What are there last names?

FC: The last name of the boy is Conti, the same as mine. The girl is French Canadian, Desarcy.

Yellowknifelife: Ever regret not getting married and having kids?

FC: In a way, for personal feelings, yes. Alone is alone. It's difficult. In other ways, I'm glad that I didn't, because it's very difficult and dangerous now. It would have been very difficult.

Yellowknifelife: You said the world has become a more difficult place during the last 20 years. What did you mean?

FC: The world used to be different. It was easy-going. Now, everybody has to think for themselves. It's broken, that sense of unity. It's more individualist now. Possessive, not collaborating fully. It's a good thing, though.

Yellowknifelife: Do you think some time you may just want to stay in one place?

FC: I don't pay attention anymore. Since there is no attachment with anyone, anything, I guess I have to spend the rest of my life drifting. Any place I go I make it as though I've been there all the time. That's one thing that helps me out, I guess.

Yellowknifelife: If you could have one thing that you don't have right now, what would that be?

FC: I never desired anything. A lot of people tell me, 'What do you want? What are you looking for?' Nothing. I just go and find work and make a living. Just don't pretend. That's because I don't have anyone. Maybe if I had a family it would be different.

Yellowknifelife: Not a fancy new car or a big house or anything like that?

FC: No. Actually, I would have a small apartment or a small house. That's it.

Yellowknifelife: In the places you've been, do you notice the people are the same or different?

FC: It's more or less the same. People are praying, working sacrificing, never have enough. That's the way it is pretty well all over.

Yellowknifelife: Are people better or worse in any place you've been in?

FC: They're more or less the same, living more or less on hope -- hope and prayer.

Yellowknifelife: What kind of buildings did you work on in the Middle East and Africa?

FC: I worked on hotels, hospitals, houses, apartments Algiers, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Morocco, Nigeria.

Yellowknifelife: Did you get to see much of those places?

FC: No, not much, working 10-12 hours a day. Just make a living, that's all.

In Ridyah, the marketplace was just like it was -- I don't know if you've seen the movies where Jesus Christ goes into the marketplace -- nothing had changed. Everything was the same. In Iraq, houses were four walls without a roof.

Yellowknifelife: What about when it rained?

FC: Rain is something that hardly happens there. Now they build and build and build, roads, hotels, facilities.