Andy Staley

When Andy was fresh out of school, Albert wrote a letter of reference for him. I have no reservations whatsoever recommending him to you. Yours very truly, Albert J. Walker.

When Andy was fresh out of school, Albert wrote a letter of reference for him. I have no reservations whatsoever recommending him to you. Yours very truly, Albert J. Walker.

It was this excitement of, oh, Al's so successful. She'd have reports of, Al's just set up another office in Paris. Over those intervening years from, say, mid-'70s to late-'80s, was my mother announcing the next great Al Walker accomplishment.

It was this excitement of, oh, Al's so successful. She'd have reports of, Al's just set up another office in Paris. Over those intervening years from, say, mid-'70s to late-'80s, was my mother announcing the next great Al Walker accomplishment.

Al's doing well in business, Walker's Financial Services. He convinces my parents that he can sell real estate.

Al's doing well in business, Walker's Financial Services. He convinces my parents that he can sell real estate.

I would say certainly the very lower end of lower middle class. I use the term poor as church mice.

I would say certainly the very lower end of lower middle class. I use the term poor as church mice.

I remember thinking all my life, people have their big blessings, and my big blessing was going to be my inheritance, like the family farms was my gift. It wasn't like, oh... new boat, new car, right? It wasn't anything like that. It was just, we were gonna be a wealthy family. So that's how I always sort of anticipated it. And it was just a thing that never was real.

I remember thinking all my life, people have their big blessings, and my big blessing was going to be my inheritance, like the family farms was my gift. It wasn't like, oh... new boat, new car, right? It wasn't anything like that. It was just, we were gonna be a wealthy family. So that's how I always sort of anticipated it. And it was just a thing that never was real.

Wow, look what Al Walker did for us, right? Just a magic money man. He turns water into wine.

Wow, look what Al Walker did for us, right? Just a magic money man. He turns water into wine.

He had this demeanor about him. It wasn't cocky, but it was just proud of his world. It was just a really good look on him.

He had this demeanor about him. It wasn't cocky, but it was just proud of his world. It was just a really good look on him.

I guess what we're looking at is, so this came out of a big box. It was, like I say, my mother put a lot of it together.

I guess what we're looking at is, so this came out of a big box. It was, like I say, my mother put a lot of it together.

I remember right around Christmas, my parents were a bit nervous. Not so nervous as to make us nervous. They were really keeping it from us. But I remember there was conversation right around Christmas of 90.

I remember right around Christmas, my parents were a bit nervous. Not so nervous as to make us nervous. They were really keeping it from us. But I remember there was conversation right around Christmas of 90.

January 15th, it was a Thursday. I was at a conference at the old Skyline Hotel in Toronto, and I knew something was up, and I phoned my dad at a break. And it was like a man who had changed. It was like I was talking to someone made of eggshells, right? It was as much the tone as the content. That's what I remember, just this shattered man. And he was like, Dad, what's going on?

January 15th, it was a Thursday. I was at a conference at the old Skyline Hotel in Toronto, and I knew something was up, and I phoned my dad at a break. And it was like a man who had changed. It was like I was talking to someone made of eggshells, right? It was as much the tone as the content. That's what I remember, just this shattered man. And he was like, Dad, what's going on?

I remember the tone being, Walker's gone. We don't know where he is. We have no way of tracking him. And he had the realization that everything was gone.

I remember the tone being, Walker's gone. We don't know where he is. We have no way of tracking him. And he had the realization that everything was gone.

And just this complete darkness. I still remember it like somebody punched me in the gut, even though no one punched me in the gut, right? I felt like the whole world had gone dark.

And just this complete darkness. I still remember it like somebody punched me in the gut, even though no one punched me in the gut, right? I felt like the whole world had gone dark.

And it was the start of Desert Storm 1, and they were showing the Scud missiles dropping. on a rack, and I'm going, the whole world's gotten fucking mad here. Like, it's just nuts.

And it was the start of Desert Storm 1, and they were showing the Scud missiles dropping. on a rack, and I'm going, the whole world's gotten fucking mad here. Like, it's just nuts.

But for Andy, it was complete consumption. I was the most dramatically affected. Like, I was angry, and I would talk about it at every occasion, and I wanted a lot of vengeance. I wanted, yeah, I wanted blood and lots of it.

But for Andy, it was complete consumption. I was the most dramatically affected. Like, I was angry, and I would talk about it at every occasion, and I wanted a lot of vengeance. I wanted, yeah, I wanted blood and lots of it.

like just how this dark evil had won in my life. And it was like, it was a real image, Sam. And I know that sounds goofy, but, but it was like there for like night and day for years. There was a period of time where I thought I was going to, I was going to track this guy down and get my money or get the family money back.

like just how this dark evil had won in my life. And it was like, it was a real image, Sam. And I know that sounds goofy, but, but it was like there for like night and day for years. There was a period of time where I thought I was going to, I was going to track this guy down and get my money or get the family money back.

And I really don't know. I mean, I just, I pulled it out two nights ago for the first time in 30 years.

And I really don't know. I mean, I just, I pulled it out two nights ago for the first time in 30 years.

And, you know, I really believed that I could do that just fueled by anger and hatred. Right.

And, you know, I really believed that I could do that just fueled by anger and hatred. Right.

It ruined him. He was never completely the same.

It ruined him. He was never completely the same.

My father had his first trip to the hospital. I can remember the first time I went to visit him when he had a psychic break. They had my dad strapped down on a table, and he was... growling and snarling and clawing and like this. I remember looking at my uncle going, that looks like my dad, but that ain't my dad.

My father had his first trip to the hospital. I can remember the first time I went to visit him when he had a psychic break. They had my dad strapped down on a table, and he was... growling and snarling and clawing and like this. I remember looking at my uncle going, that looks like my dad, but that ain't my dad.

I got a call the end of that week and it was Dr. Veeraswamy and he said, you need to come up here now. Your dad needs electric shock therapy and he needs it in the next 24 hours or we may not be able to get him back. I said, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You're asking me to electrocute my father? He said, well, your father's either going to be like that, or we're going to save him.

I got a call the end of that week and it was Dr. Veeraswamy and he said, you need to come up here now. Your dad needs electric shock therapy and he needs it in the next 24 hours or we may not be able to get him back. I said, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You're asking me to electrocute my father? He said, well, your father's either going to be like that, or we're going to save him.

And I went, holy fuck.

And I went, holy fuck.

I think there's very little sympathy for financial victims. You know, they just don't, you know, they didn't lose an arm, a leg, a child. You know, there's no blood. I mean, there's some sympathy, but it's not the same, right?

I think there's very little sympathy for financial victims. You know, they just don't, you know, they didn't lose an arm, a leg, a child. You know, there's no blood. I mean, there's some sympathy, but it's not the same, right?

And I looked, something would catch my eye. I go, no, no. My mother saved this. I'm not going to burn it now.

And I looked, something would catch my eye. I go, no, no. My mother saved this. I'm not going to burn it now.

He said, for me... My issue is final. I'll never have her back. For you, theoretically, you could get your money back. But the interesting thing, as he said, the loss of money versus the loss of a spouse is what men jump out of windows over, right?

He said, for me... My issue is final. I'll never have her back. For you, theoretically, you could get your money back. But the interesting thing, as he said, the loss of money versus the loss of a spouse is what men jump out of windows over, right?

There was little old ladies that had $100,000, their life savings, they'd remortgaged their houses, and they were done. They were done. And that, to me, is... Like, it just shows the depravity of the fella.

There was little old ladies that had $100,000, their life savings, they'd remortgaged their houses, and they were done. They were done. And that, to me, is... Like, it just shows the depravity of the fella.

And here you are, the new proud owner of a whole pile of reading material if you so choose.

And here you are, the new proud owner of a whole pile of reading material if you so choose.

A hornet? A hornet? In February? Did that come in one of your bags, Sam? No, I saw it earlier when we came in. You know where I think it might have come out of? Where? These files. He was hibernating. Well, and like hornets love paper. Oh, shit. How appropriate. The hornet's nest. We've stirred one up.

A hornet? A hornet? In February? Did that come in one of your bags, Sam? No, I saw it earlier when we came in. You know where I think it might have come out of? Where? These files. He was hibernating. Well, and like hornets love paper. Oh, shit. How appropriate. The hornet's nest. We've stirred one up.

Andy took a swig of his wine and shook his head. I will only say this in terms of a rant. You say you hate your boss, you say you hate whoever, and I say no. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but I know that I don't hate anybody because I know what it feels like to truly hate somebody, right? And, you know, that's the guy.

Andy took a swig of his wine and shook his head. I will only say this in terms of a rant. You say you hate your boss, you say you hate whoever, and I say no. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but I know that I don't hate anybody because I know what it feels like to truly hate somebody, right? And, you know, that's the guy.

She was the belle of the ball. My mother was loved by everybody. I'll show you a picture of her.

She was the belle of the ball. My mother was loved by everybody. I'll show you a picture of her.

It had that country church feel where all the families would be there. Their very, very best friends were Knox United Church people. Everybody knew you, and you knew everybody, and it was a beautiful church.

It had that country church feel where all the families would be there. Their very, very best friends were Knox United Church people. Everybody knew you, and you knew everybody, and it was a beautiful church.

Their whole social group was all church choir people. And I sang in the junior choir. My parents and Walker sang in the senior choir.

Their whole social group was all church choir people. And I sang in the junior choir. My parents and Walker sang in the senior choir.

I didn't tell you to come through the main door.

I didn't tell you to come through the main door.

He was very engaging and, you know, he had that ability to elicit trust and especially in a farm community where everybody does kind of trust everybody.

He was very engaging and, you know, he had that ability to elicit trust and especially in a farm community where everybody does kind of trust everybody.

Come on up.

Come on up.

There was a group of, say, about eight, three or four couples that they were part of initially, and then out of that became their, I guess, a closer friendship that was not inclusive of the group at large. Albert seemed to want to have the Staley's all to himself. There was a time that my parents were best friends with the Walkers, yes.

There was a group of, say, about eight, three or four couples that they were part of initially, and then out of that became their, I guess, a closer friendship that was not inclusive of the group at large. Albert seemed to want to have the Staley's all to himself. There was a time that my parents were best friends with the Walkers, yes.

I was babysitting. I babysat Sheena and the kids, like, when I was, I don't know, 15, 16, something like that. Sheena was my favorite. She was just a sweet child. Like, whether it was babysitting or whether it was family functions, she was just... You know, she, in all honesty, when I think about it, she had her mother's soft personality and her father's good looks.

I was babysitting. I babysat Sheena and the kids, like, when I was, I don't know, 15, 16, something like that. Sheena was my favorite. She was just a sweet child. Like, whether it was babysitting or whether it was family functions, she was just... You know, she, in all honesty, when I think about it, she had her mother's soft personality and her father's good looks.

I mean, as crazy as that sounds. Yeah, she was good looking. She was quiet. She was sweet. Yeah, that would have been Sheena.

I mean, as crazy as that sounds. Yeah, she was good looking. She was quiet. She was sweet. Yeah, that would have been Sheena.

It's funny, now, you're bringing back memories of actually many years of really happy times with Al Walker. It's really weird to think about.

It's funny, now, you're bringing back memories of actually many years of really happy times with Al Walker. It's really weird to think about.

I tell this story often in various bits and pieces, forms and layers. How many rabbit holes do you want to go down? I was pretty much ground zero for the whole nonsense.

I tell this story often in various bits and pieces, forms and layers. How many rabbit holes do you want to go down? I was pretty much ground zero for the whole nonsense.