"...so I threw the Mexican Chef into a laundry sack and then beat him with a broom. Because it's Cinco de May."
I'm explaining the holiday of Cinco de Mayo to the boy, he doesn't know it and so I tell him it's the day Canada became independent from Mexico.
And the story about the Chef, it's true, he took it in good humour as I tricked him and did it yesterday, today being a day off.
***
First thing today, make a list. A very long list, as it turns out, as there are countless things I've neglected. And as I plot my day I resolve to begin with the trivial, this is a sure way to ensure that nothing important gets done.
***
First stop a couple of thrift shops. At the Mennonite thrift shop some rather unique vintage cufflinks, at Value Village I find a magnificent 70's Velour pinstriped jacket that makes me look like a rockstar that hasn't stopped tripping, at $15.00 a little pricy for my tastes but, hey, where would I find another one like it? And a briefcase, leather, vintage, because one day I just might need it....
From here to Sobey's, where I mail my daughter a couple of postcards from my imaginary vacation.
Next stop the watch dealer
***
Wherein he tells me I'm only allowed to drop off 4 watches at a time. "I'm trying to retire" he explains to me, but he fixes one on the spot and picks from the dozen I've brought the 4 I most want repaired. While I'm waiting for him to examine them he tells me to look through a box on the table, there's some vintage stuff dropped off by a friend, I find 3 more watches to purchase, two of which will need repair and he sighs, he's just made more work for himself....
***
The radio, irrelevant news as I'm driving, except for this: A soldier has vanished while on a hike through a public park in Edmonton, and as it's a place I know well I wonder what could have happened, probably all will be clear when the soldier is found, but right now it's a proper piece of Forteana.....
***
From here to Forest Lawn, where I check the pawn shops for watches. One in particular, a giant one just off 17 ave and 36 St, has an immense selection of 80's Movado's, Omega's, Rolexes, all at ridiculously high prices, and I wonder how they all ended up in the worst neighborhood on earth...the answer, of course, is simple....gangsta's...
***
home, a brief nap illuminated by flashes of brilliant dreams, then off again to pick up the boy.
Tonight is IFN, but we're going to Art Central as nothing has caught my eye by way of films. Some inspiration, some rubbish, still, it's always worth a look. I run into someone I worked with back in the day, she recognizes me, it takes me a few to recognize her ("where do I know you from....?") but eventually she advises me....and we reminisce about old times.
From here to Truck Gallery, some inspiration again here, then up the street....
***
And there, in the window, is a live mannequin display involving two female models in fishnet stockings. The boy and I, we stop for a few minutes and watch. It's hot, there's no denying, and one of the models avoids my appreciative gaze while the other seems positively solicitous....
There's a photographer on the street, he's trying to take pictures and we offer to step out of the way, I'm having the boy record this with a couple of photo's on his phone, the photographer assures me we're fine...."Do you know that hundreds of people have walked by and you're the first to stop?" he tells me. "It's because Calgary is a city of Poofta's" I tell him. "Second biggest in North America outside of San Fransisco..." and he's shaking his head in disbelief, I'd be too but I'm far too delighted at this unexpected sedgeway in our evening....
***
We go to check out Wordsworth books, I'd passed it in the car and meant to stop in, I used to be regular some years ago but life got in the way, never mind it's closed, and so it's off to Fourth Street, we walk about and I reminisce, another place I used to live, be regular about, but life, it gets in the way....
We pop into Famoso Neopolitan Pizza, good, and from here it's home...
And before I forget we stop in a Bird Dog Video, he'll be passing the weekend here and upon entering we find that they'll be closing for good.
Soon.
And I'm stricken with sadness, this, a finally beautiful summer evening after a long cool grey day, and how does it end up? The best video store in the city is closing....
Jolie's busy, selling off the video's, she's a month left and that will be it. I want to hug the boy, so often we came here when we lived nearby, Miyazaki and Poltergeist and countless other alternative kids films, but now...now it will be gone. And no movie for him.