Gerry Campbell, a 64-year-old former taxi driver, learned quickly that he had to get people to like him immediately in order to get a decent tip.
So when the 50-year-old house he rented on the 5100-block of Sooke Road burned to the ground last Thursday, Campbell was immediately surrounded by friends and neighbours who rushed in to help.
Melanie Ross, who lives next door, said Gerry has been a great neighbour over the years. He drove her daughter to school when she missed the school bus and he shared electricity when B.C. Hydro shut off her power in February.
Ross has set up a crowd-funding account at gofundme.com/cgcfw to raise money so Campbell, who’s a proud man who doesn’t accept help easily, can get back on his feet.
She was terrified Thursday to come out of her house and saw Campbell’s house exploding in flames.
“I tried to get near the house and the police stopped me ... but I was told he wasn’t in there,” said Ross.
Campbell has lived there for 15 years, but he says he’s not concerned about material things. He didn’t have renter’s insurance.
His family of three pitbulls survived the disaster, but one ran off into the woods and hasn’t turned up yet.
His life up until now “has been a picnic, almost. It’s been easy going. I’ve had the odd conflicts with people who disagree with me but there have been no tragedies in my life.”
Strangers are coming by the site daily to bring him household goods “and they’re crying more than I am,” Campbell said.
He’s living in a tent trailer on the site.
The homeowner’s plans aren’t clear. Campbell said the man dropped by and viewed the charred ruins.
“He said good luck to me and went on his way,” Campbell said.
Campbell was driving home through Metchosin when he saw smoke in the distance.
“Then the cars started piling up and sooner or later I got near a friend’s house. They ran out really happy to see me, and told me what was going on,” said Campbell, emotion choking his voice.
He drove cabs most of his life. “If you want a tip when you’re driving taxi, you gotta make them like you within five minutes.”
His family is in New Brunswick but he has lots of friends here.
Campbell is reluctant to talk about his loss because he doesn’t want pity or a handout. Still, he really needs a 12-volt generator to run a water pump, if anyone has one hanging about.
He had a dispute with B.C. Hydro over a $2,000 bill he got that covered six months.
“I’ve been trying to get them to disconnect the power for three months; I didn’t think the house had to burn down in order for them to do it,” he said.
“I’ve been offered a mobile home and a place to put it. When I’m ready to accept that, I’ll probably go there.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation but it’s not believed to be suspicious.
