So, the past few days off. Tuesday, a reasonable pace at work, then off Wednesday and Thursday.
Chatting with friend via text Wednesday - I sent her a job posting I spotted outside the BCAA. She applies; she's been looking for work - almost 2 years now, and I'm starting to think she isn't really trying. She always reports she's "Waiting to hear back from..." and - in my books, 2 years without work, out of EI, out of everything, well, you shouldn't be "Waiting to hear back..." from anyone; you should be applying; applying; applying....
What do I know?
Wednesday night, date, friend, it goes well, a bottle of wine, pizza, there are a group of Americans at the bar. Heli-skiers. We're infested with them at the moment, while prices in town are high - for food and beverage, clearly they represent a deal for the Americans heading North. And I'm talking to one; "Seth", he's wearing a Rolex Batman, and he's friendly enough, close enough to my age; I admire his watch; his friends; then he asks the question...."Sooo...what do you think of Americans up here...." and you know; you know.
I try to brush it off, assure him they have some problems, but I'm not taking it personally; don't want to direct my rage towards him, explain it as living above a crack-house; he laughs, his minder - the tour group lead; how are they all connected? Friends? University? Alumni? Or all just booked a package tour? The "Minder" is nervous. They're probably taking courses in not offending the locals and this would be number one. Anyways, he's getting a bit defensive; immigration was a problem, damned illegals, and of course, of course - I mean, it's all rhetoric, lies, he's doing well, has a job with (KNOWN BANK); makes good money, wife and kids, and after all he's wearing a Rolex Batman...
He's in the upper 10%, so he'll survive longer than most.
I'm careful, I don't want to be unwelcoming, they're everywhere here and they'll probably be in the restaurant within the week. The invading hordes. The Moneyed invading horde; and so we welcome them with open arms.
But even that upper 10%, they're not the upper .001%, and while he doesn't see himself as having any troubles; while he still says they're a "superpower" - I'm serious, they're not. America the nation has no international credibility. It's leader is all the proof you need.
On that note; what of the little racist caricatures of the Obamas? Aww, forget about it. Forget about it all...
Date ends and really, I'm no company for Americans having read a book or two and no longer willing to shut up and play it safe.
***
Thursday, blurry, up before the liquor store and head up to visit neighbour. She's got my medicine, I grab a portion, replace it with a 2 litre later in the day...
Not much is getting done.
The day passes in a predictable fashion, I've got some trauma I'm working through in the most counterproductive ways possible.
In the evening is a clown show at the Capitol. I've bought myself a ticket. I know nothing about it; am going in "blind", I bought this ticket because it had the word "Magic" in it and I thought I'd passed on a Magic show the week before.
The magic show, an afternoon production, I love magic. I wanted to go pretty bad but was afraid I'd be disappointed with card tricks and cutting women in half, in short, a "kids" magic show and I want, need something that punches a little bit above that. So I didn't get tickets, which is good, because as luck would have it it's tomorrow. But I bought myself a conciliatory ticket to a clown show...
Now - half cut and I show up at 7:30. Turns out the show started at 7:00. Damn.
Slouched in my front-row centre seat I'm confused. The theatre is 80% empty, a few kids, parents, me. And it's a clown show.
I'm in full on disconnect. What in the hell am I here for? That said, the show ended at 8:00, I was only there a half-hour, still. WTF.
And the bigger WTF is like was I abducted by aliens? How did I end up here? And the "Capitol" - a good, great, noble cause but WTF?
Anyways, clown show. Not within my field of purvue.
Friday follows the pattern, not even barely sober and it's a busy night filled with Americans (not Seth) at work. Running nonstop and I'm nowhere in the mood; where did this come from anyways? And J***** has to stay until close and this unconsciously distresses me; it's a good money night (probably, all round, I'm not checking) - but I've grown too accustomed to sending her shortly after I arrive and Friday night, it's not in the pattern, for a couple of hours I have a co-worker and la-de-da it's like I'm working in a restaurant....
***
Temu: The Fountain Pen (Lamy)
And so this was one of my preposterous orders from TEMU. A look-alike Lamy fountain pen. It looked (in the ad) close enough to the original that I thought it might be an "overrun" and not a cheap knock-off.
I was wrong. It was most definitely a cheap knock-off, as given by it's weight and TEMU styled branding which I'm hoping wears off. That said, it writes well, and while digging through my box of old fountain pens looking for ink (yes, who has that and why?) I discover a couple of genuine vintage Pelikan pens, and spend a few hours cleaning them.
I didn't need another fountain pen, even if it was a "Lamy". But that's the genius of TEMU.
***
Wednesday or thereabouts as well I came home to a bowl of soup on my doorstep. Another neighbour, we'll call her "Neighbour Number 3". This works, as it means I only have to cook a few big meals a week and the neighbours will look after the rest. Neighbour #3 actually has some cooking creds, is dating the head chef at ******** and so provides a fine soup. Number #2; Vodka neighbour, well, she cooks OK. And neighbour #1; Kramer, same floor; a text and an IOU left on my counter, she's raided my waiter's wallet, absconded with $30 from my float, well, her secret ingredient is more salt. Enough said.
Still, nice not to have to worry about food security.
***
Which I think brings us to the present time; Saturday, I'm due to attend a roller-derby of sorts, celebrate Owen's birthday, but I've already started the internal monologue arguing against. We'll see how it goes...