Karyn's
Tribute (continued from home page)
Over the
years, Mal would show up periodically in my life, by letters,
phonecalls or visits. It would be an understatement to say
that Mal lived life in the fast lane, he played cops and robber
for real. Yet he seemed to have a need to keep contact with
certain people who were more stable and responsible in their
lifestyles.
Choosing
a Career
I'm not
sure exactly how or when Mal started robbing banks, but he
soon gained notoriety for his deeds. He said that he could
never bring himself to do B & E's, that he felt uncomfortable
rummaging through people's personal property. Yet he had no
qualms about robbing a bank, as an institution no one personally
suffered the loss. He used to say that he preferred to rob
one particular bank because of their extended hours.
When
he first started out he only carried knives then later graduated
to firearms. In his early days of firearm robberies a sawed-off
shotgun was Mal's choice of weapon. He later moved on to handguns.
I've never seen Mal at work, but from my understanding he
would usually open his coat to reveal his weapon to the teller,
neatly tucked down the waistband of his pants. He used a great
deal of finesse through the whole operation, remembering his
manners, like a gentleman. Yet, I'm sure with maximum adrenaline
pumping through his lean frame, a manic glint in his eye tipped
off the teller that it was in her interest to cooperate.
I
wonder what Mal would have to say now about the increase in
gun violence on our city streets. You can be sure he would
have plenty to say. At times he could be very opinionated,
in fact he made a sport out of airing his views. Although
he loved being around people, and was a very sociable guy,
I think it was his way of keeping them at a comfortable distance.
Yet he had a real gift for making people laugh, and often
remarked about his own twisted sense of humour. He had a unique
brand of con humour, which he honed to an art.
It
was a bit of a surprise for me to see the quiet side of Mal
after we were married. This man who was so outgoing and exubrant
in public would often be pensive and silent in the privacy
of his home. I figured that came from years of living alone
in a cell. Who really knows for sure what a life behind bars
does to a man's soul.
The first 10 years of Mal's life were spent mainly with his
grandmother in New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland, while his
father, a military man, was stationed in North Africa. At
the age of ten he arrived in Canada with his parents and 2
sisters. At first they settled in a house on the Toronto islands,
later relocating to North Bonnington Ave., in the Toronto
suburb of Scarborough, when Mal's younger brother, Paul was
born.
Not
only was Mal's father a military man, he was at one time a
member of the King's Guard, outside of Buckingham Palace.
You know, one of those guards dressed in the red suits and
large black furry hats, who were often targets of pretty girls'
antics. Given his training, it is hardly surprising that the
elder Ross saw it fitting to discipline his son by having
him stand at attention for long periods of time.
Mal's
criminal career started later than most, he was 28 when given
his first jail sentence. Before that he had been trained in
the tool and dye trade, and he also had obtained his exterminator's
licence. Finding a job was not a problem, he was an extremely
hard worker, and very talented with his hands. But when the
work day was over, Mal would play just as hard. He could outparty
any but the most diehard revellers, and often found himself
sitting alone drinking beer long after everyone else had passed
out. Straight lemon gin was his favorite, and he tried every
drug that was around in the seventies.
Eventually,
Mal outgrew his friends, who became less tolerant of his wild
ways. He was becoming more entrenched in the criminal culture,
internalizing new definitions of acceptable versus unacceptable
behaviours.
Perhaps
that is what I found so appealing about Malcolm. He was not
afraid to live on the edge. He would do things that most people
would only fantasize about.Yet there was also a part of him
that was good and decent. He had a real heart for the underdogs,
whether they were the Toronto Maple Leafs or society's.
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