It's Family Day...which for actual together families might mean doing family type stuff...singin Kumbya or whatever it is they like to do. I can't even spell it. :P Never said I was June Cleaver dudes.
My family is all over the place...I got to hang with my boys Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning...the rest of the weekend is their dad's turn. Joys of split families. The older two are off doing their thing...that's cool. I'm not really high maintenance. Unless I feel like it.
grin
So this Family Day, I'm just hanging out by myself... doin ma ting mon. I got up at 7:30 to send an email to the real estate agent, then went back to bed. Cuz I could.
I got bored though.
So I got up and made myself a bagel and tea...watched a little shitty TV. Does anyone actually watch The View? Yeah...it's not for me.
Went to little girl's room. Large mirror and bright lights did magnificent job of drawing attention to greys growing through the last colour job. So what the hell...I coloured my hair.
Picture me shaking out my locks for you..."it's me only better!"
Yeah okay shut up.
I was bored.
So what does a chick do when she's bored? She goes shopping. And lucky for me, the Eaton's Centre is a 10 minute walk away, if I walk quickly.
But first, one must get dressed. I am after all, trendy Torontonian urbanite now. I have an image to uphold.
Done rolling your eyes yet? The ladies know what I'm on about...you men can bite me.
I went casual urbanite today...skinny jeans, aqua blue oversize T, scarf draped just right, black boots pulled over the jeans. hhhhhottt without trying too hard.
Shaking my locks again.
The best part is that I can't even write this shit without laughing at how lame I am.
Whatevs.
So off I went, walking quickly just because, well, I'm used to walking quickly. Down Wellington, up Bay, across Richmond...and then it happened.
Family Day in Toronto. And all the fucking cousins must be visiting. Rock on! The day just got fun dudes!
Buddy sat cross legged in front of the 7 Eleven with his little empty Timmy cup, lookin' for change. I said "hey" and smiled. He winked and gave me a hey back.
I could hear my brother before I could see him. The voice of a preacher, praising Jesus, warning of the end of the world. The same voice I had heard on several occasions on the street below my condo in the middle of the night. It was about time I got to put a face to the voice. And I did just that. He was magnificent, standing on the steps leading up to City Hall. A big black man, he wore a white night gown, and a multi coloured blanket served as his cape. His arms stretched out over the crowds of people he addressed, and his deep voice rose above the normal city sounds of traffic and chatter. Hiding a smile, I walked past, carefully observing the reaction of the other passersby. Some appeared amused, others scared, and a surprising number completely oblivious. Interesting.
To the mall! And dayam it was packed! Kids, teens, old people, young people...fellow hot Toronto urbanites like myself (yack) but mostly tourists. Apparently this is what some families do on Family Day. So much for Kumbya theory.
I unbuttoned my coat and headed for the bookstore. sigh. I'm sorry..I just have to get the last fucking Twilight book. There I said it. It's out. Y'all know my dirty little secret. I also picked up an exercise DVD. 5 different 1/2 hour workouts. Will see if this one holds my attention for longer than five minutes. Or if it drives me back to wodka and cookies. meh.
I wanted another pair of kickass jeans from the Gap. The 1969 straight cut is like, my favourite jean ever dudes! I am slowly replacing all my old jeans, getting ready for trip to clothing donation bin. Same as the rest of the stuff I never wear. Spring is coming after all. Anyway, I did a bit a clothes shopping, mostly because the gay salesmen were all over me today, no matter which store I went into. It was like a sign for me, and I don't ignore the signs. See, if the salespeople ignore me, I usually don't bother...but a little encouragement, and my credit card comes right out. Magic. Readers in retail pay attention.
I avoided stores with sales...mostly because it was crap on sale and there were too many icky rude people in there and I am not good at being patient. Instant gratification, that's what it's all about boys and girls!
New clothing urges satisfied, I had one last store to hit. Shopper's Drug Mart. I needed eye make up remover. It's like a $10 purchase or something. And I had to line up behind 20 people to pay for it. 20 people and 2 cashiers. Brilliant. But I'm in no hurry today. So I line up and watch, amused as people see the line up and groan. Some put their items down and just leave. Other's get pissy. A few like me could care less. There was the sweetest little guy waiting in line with his mom just ahead of me. He looked about 3, and his mom was buying him one of those little bundles of lollipops. Can you imagine? And he just stayed with her, never said a word other than to point at the odd item in the aisles as we moved closer to the cashiers. I just smiled.
Finished shopping, my pace was decidedly slower as I pointed my boots towards the mall exit. I took the time to watch people in the mall. An old lady rooting through the garbage bin. Two very large men with muscles bulging from beneath their tight sports T's, touching hands briefly and smiling at one another. A group of teenage girls giggling. A father maneuvering an empty stroller through the crowd with one hand and holding a bundled up baby with the other, determined grimace plastered across his face. Wonder where mom was? heh heh heh...atta girl....
I buttoned up my coat as I stepped outside into the cool air. Casually, slowly, I walked past the Preacher, tempted to shout out an amen brother, just to see what he'd say. I wondered where he'd sleep tonight. I strolled past Buddy in front of the 7 Eleven. "Still here eh brother?" I smiled at him "Still here, still here" he said, smiling. I wondered if he had a family.
I stopped in to Tim Horton's for a double double and sauntered home smiling. I giggled when an impatient driver honked at someone taking too long to cross the street. I like honking too. It grows on you.
Just like this city.
Even on Family Day.
