Under lockdown, Moncton man gets call from Norm Macdonald

As news of the horror unfolding in Moncton, N.B., reached social media Wednesday night, comedian Norm Macdonald was wondering if his old friend Phil Robinson was safe.

Storified by CTVNews.ca· Thu, Jun 05 2014 20:45:15

Macdonald called up Robinson, with whom he had stayed years ago during a trip across Canada. Macdonald described the touching -- and very Canadian -- phone conversation in a series of tweets Thursday:

I had tickets for the game last night but I couldn't make it I was trying to get a hold of Phil Robinson. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

When I was a young man I made a lot of money working in a logging camp and spent some on my favorite thing in the world. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

A train ride across Canada. My third in a young life.#PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

A pal of mine, a chokerman, Shelly whom we called Shaggy told me to look up his old man when I hit the end of the line.#PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

The old man's name was Phil Robinson and the end of the line was Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.#PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

Phil, he took care of me all right, like the good Acadian he was. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

Took me to the magnetic hill. "Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed", he said. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

Took me over to Shediac and showed me some beach he said had the warmest water and too bad it was december. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

But we ate lobster there, the best I ever ate, and I told him so. "Better in July" said Phil. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

What I really wanted to see, of course, was a tidal bore, to hear a crash of water from the Bay of Fundy. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

But Phil said he wouldn't show me one, that they were no good no more, something about silt. Made him angry. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I stayed with Phil and his family for a week, and he worked for the railroad and I loved the railroad. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

When word came yesterday that murder fell upon Moncton, I tried to get a hold of Phil. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

When I finally located his phone number and called a computer voice of a woman told me I should try later. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I figured Phil to be in his 70's by now, so I thought social media wasn't going to locate him. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

So I just kept phoning. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I finally got him,about 6 my time, something like that and he answered the phone with, "Yeah, we're all fine. Who is this?" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I told him, and he laughed and said, "You're boys are in a little trouble, huh?" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I'd forgotten the game had started and turned on the TV and saw the Kings down 2-0. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Margaret's got us all in the basement, and I'm watching the game on a black-and-white piece of shit." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Shaggy with you?" Who?" "Shelly" "Shelly's in Toronto. He phoned earlier. We're real popular today."#PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"You know any of the cops, Phil?" "None of the Mounties, but a few of my friend's boys are cops, sure." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I don't got a gun no more. Margaret got rid of it a long time ago. Gave it to the government or some goddam thing." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"So now, I'm hiding in my basement. I got a 50 inch screen upstairs, Norm. Real nice. 50 inch." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Well, look at that, your boys scored one" "Not my boys, Phil. I just want the Rangers to lose. They took out my boys." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"That's right", he laughed until it became a cough,then gathered himself and laughed more. "Hard to win without a goalie" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"You know those Ramparts of yours beat us for the cup a few years ago." "No, Phil, I didn't know that." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

Goddam it,I'm trying to watch this game and it's on a black and white piece of shit and a scroll keeps running underneath." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Hold on" and he coughed and I heard him yelling at Margaret and some time passed and he said, "I'm upstairs, with a beer," #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Goddam, Norm, you'd love this TV, 50 incher. Like you're right at the game." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Maybe you should be down in the basement, Phil. Margaret probably knows best," #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Let the sonofabitch shoot me right here in my easy chair, drinking a Molson and watching hockey on a 50 incher" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"You remember when I took you to the Hawks game, Norm?""Sure I do, Phil."A Canadian remembers every hockey game he attends. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"You remember who played that night? You remember, Norm?" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Course I remember. Jack O'Callahan, the American that was part of The Miracle." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

" Yeah, and he never let anybody forget it. He had a big head, that one, wonder he could get a helmet on it." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Margaret, get up here and make me a grill cheese or something. The next guy that sonofabitch will kill is own self." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Isn't that how it always works, Norm?" "I guess so, Phil, yeah" #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"You can only remember O'Callahan, but that day you saw the rookie of the year and you don't even remember. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

Phil laugh-coughed hard, "You don't remember him and he's on your TV right now." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

And I looked at my TV and it showed Darryl Sutter with his arms crossed and that faraway look of his."#PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

I guess I had seen him play, but didn't remember, and wondered if this time his faraway look had a town in sight." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"I don't remember him Phil" " Well, he was always a good kid and now he's a good man." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right, Phil." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Chrissake,I know the world's gone to hell in a hand basket.But I'm drinking a beer and watching The Finals. Life is good." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Well, you stay safe, Phil." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Yeah, I'll be sure to duck" He ;laughed and coughed and laughed. "Gimme a call in game 6, will ya." #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald

"Sure will, Phil" and I sat back and turned the volume way up and whenever the camera was on Sutter,I studied him. Resurgo. #PrayForMonctonNorm Macdonald