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Big Talker at 7-11

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: People

Published: 26 July 2010

Hits: 1690

And I've piled the laundry on the bed and head down to 7/11. I need a slurpee, some cigarettes, maybe (although I'm not consciously thinking it, if I did I wouldn't go) a bite to eat.

And there's Big Talker, working behind the counter, he's got his "I'm a Trainee" badge on and I'm surprised to see him there, but only for a moment, it makes sense, probably his son got tired of paying the rent and made him get a job and I notice, only for a moment, a slight glimmer of schadenfreude; how the mighty are laid low, but there's some conscious wrestling as I'm paying, he's messing up big time, can't ring in my cigarettes, food properly, he's given me the incorrect change and I begin to feel wretched - ashamed that in any way I should take pleasure in another's misfortune, ashamed because in a couple of short months that could be, may well be, probably will be me, ashamed because while I've overheard all the talk of the big deals going down, (rather sceptically), he's done nothing to hurt or offend me, and I just want to hurry and pay and get out of there...

The Laundromat

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Miscellany

Published: 26 July 2010

Hits: 2454

It's a heavy sack of laundry, but I haven't done it for a month and it's not that heavy, considering...

Another beautiful day, walking across Crowfoot with the sack over my shoulder like a common tramp or hobo, the resemblance doesn't end there....

Crowfoot trail, sticky fresh tar and asphalt, the visible proof of that late night music I've been hearing these last few days, just past Amato Gelato and there's the laundromat. 

It's clean, cool, bright and fresh inside, and the cost of doing laundry is surprisingly inexpensive. I put in my washing and wait, I've brought a new book: "The Hours" by Michael Cunningham, contemporary literature, while my preference is for the classics I should keep track of, know what the current themes in literature are. And it's a short read, large print, spacious lines, and I've done 70 pages by the time the laundry's finished. I like this laundromat, there are no distractions, simply sit and read, the sun through the window, it's cool inside, there's violin music playing through the stereo and it's improved, somehow, by the background accompaniment of washers and tumble driers. I'm sad to leave, I'll have to come here again.

5 days and counting

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Written by: Rod Boyle

Category: Miscellany

Published: 26 July 2010

Hits: 2128

It's the countdown. 

Last night late at the restaurant, we leave at midnight, long after the last bus has left. This will be what it's like in September, and more and more as Christmas draws near but I can console myself, I won't be there.

Today, up at 8:00 AM, work to do on the computer, a couple of hours and I send off the changes, the rest of the day is now mine.

Blog a bit, head off to thrift shop. Nothing today. But on the walk home I stumble across an estate sale and pick up 10 white shirts, suitable for 4 weeks of waitering, for $10.00. Not so bad. Then home and nap.

Up at 6:00 PM, I need to do laundry but there's a problem with the machine, sewage has backed up into the laundry room and so this will have to be done tomorrow at the laundromat. I haven't done laundry for a month.

Then down to Kensington for dinner, they're wrapping up the "Salsa Festival", packing stalls, I settle on a Sub for dinner (better than 7/11) and go over to Higher Ground for a coffee. I need to escape the heat, it's too hot, crossing the bridge from South Calgary you can see dozens of people in dinghies, weekend Huck Finns cooling themselves in the river, I've no dinghy and seek shade.

I read the papers. FFWD, The Globe, Calgary Herald, Avenue Magazine. I never read print anymore, books, but seldom, when is there time? It's all rubbish. Avenue especially impresses me with it's ridiculously positive take on everything, glossy photos and charming non-stories on local people and businesses, it's designed to offend no one and yet still in the letter section there are notes from things people have taken offense to.

Walk home, read the flyers on the pillars scattered about Kensington, there's a play by David Mamet I'd like to see at the upcoming fringe festival - "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" - I like perversity, I like Mamet, I haven't been to Chicago but if it's got Mamet and Sexual Perversity it can't be so bad...but I'll be away on vacation.

Home, another blog post, then down to my bench by the river, watching the river, the dinghies, the sun slowly setting, it's a beautiful evening and cooling off wonderfully, make my notes but I'm a little bereft of ideas at the moment, there's 5 days left of work and much to be done before the vacation - and there's 5 days of work left to survive. Lists, need to make dentist's appointment before I leave, see dentist 1st thing when I get back. Need to work on my resume, job search, there are a hundred plans to be laid and everything is hinging on surviving work, surviving the vacation, surviving work again (but only 3 weeks worth), and then....