Three Zoeys in America: Part one

When strangers become family

Wanderlust came early for me, but money came late.

The first place I ever wanted to travel to was California, but before I would arrive, I’d have to learn a lot from stops along the way. It took 20 years of traveling elsewhere, two trips hitchhiking across Canada, and the kindness of a man named Zoey Stevens before I would get there.

This time it was going to happen. I was actually going to get to California and not be sidetracked by some other plan. It took a week to get the dates right, but pleasantly and unexpectedly, the Stevens invited me to stay at their house in Anaheim for a week.

Two years ago, I reached out to American artist and family man Zoey Stevens. This interview was covered in a 2015 edition of The Ontarion, but the connection soon became deeper than journalist and reporter.

Stevens owned Zoey.com when we first spoke and that’s what initially motivated me to call him.Finding another man in the world named Zoey was definitely worth making a phone call. (Turns out, he also has a son named Zoey Jr.) That early conversation eventually led me to stay with him and his family in California over the winter break.

Leaving the Canadian winter behind for a short time—and for the first time—was a welcome reprieve.

After landing at LAX, I started the week off at a house party where I met my rosy-faced hosts. They led me into a tipsy party where almost everyone had at least 15 years on me, but it didn’t matter. The “eh” jokes came fast and strong, followed by a swift “sorry.”

Many tequila shots and Canada jokes later, we arrived at the Stevens’ house.I met my new roommate Winston the Pug. I talked for a while with this member of pug royalty and crashed on the couch for the first night of six.

We made it to Laguna Beach the next day by 2 p.m., hungover, but determined to make the most of the day.

Stevens was on vacation from his day job as an artistic director at Disney and his wife Jenn had finished classes for the semester, so we had the chance to tour the Oceanside all the way down to San Diego over the course of the week.

Apart from family outings, I took the opportunity to venture out on my own, embarking on the Californian adventures I had dreamed of for so long.

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At the end of each night, I would find my way back to my second home in downtown Anaheim. Zoey, Jenn, and I would talk about our days and drink wine from all over the state. We would talk politics, passions, and the grit behind the current American landscape.

It was this time spent with near strangers that made this trip destined for truth and deeper meaning.

Donald Trump will take office in nine days and the people have a lot to say.

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Photos by Zoey Ross