Gabriel Wortman’s wonderful Rags-to-Riches (cover) story

for Wortman, life in his MID-TWENTIES was one long party - paid for by others

Gabriel Wortman was desperately desperately poor as a small child : his mom had to give up his newborn baby brother up for adoption because she was never sure if she could make the rent, buy the groceries. Always moving, from place to place to place to place.

But cry not : this story has a happy ending, at least for Gabe.

By his mid twenties he seemed fabulously rich, a millionaire, particularly so for a student with tons of student debt after years of constant study at UNB, Kentville NSCC and an unnamed Ontario College of Denturism.

All his girlfriends remarked upon it : not clear what his wife at the time, Corinna Kincaid thought of it.

To start with, a house in Dartmouth and another house somewhere west of Truro. Cars, more kinds of motorbikes than a small dealership, boats, everything. A love nest on Lawrencetown Beach. Booze to float the Queen Mary in. Guns.

Lots of parties, lots of girlfriends.

More, more, more.

Money to pay bribes, to hire a very expensive lawyer for a ten month retainer.

He had more adult boy toys than, well, than he ever had as a small child.

Rags to Riches : but how on earth did he ever pay for it - and all while trying to get a new business off the ground ?

Well there are just two ways in Canada to make a lot of invisible wealth fast : either become a crook or go to work for the federal government as a consultant.

Of course, sometimes, it not an either/or type question...