The Stroll

Thank you for helping me feel better about yesterday.

Today, I went for a long walk and ended up at the bottom of Casa Loma on Dupont. Just as I started to climb the steps up to the castle grounds, a slight-built man in his 60's overtook me. He seemed to breeze up the steps with nary a sound while I huffed and puffed my way up, bemoaning my sore knees the whole time. By the time I stumbled out onto the top, the white-haired lithe man was gone.

But before me spread a field of grass and picnic tables. At one table sat a guitar. A bulky man in T-shirt and jeans was walking from the castle wall to the picnic table. He must've been in his 50's. He picked up the guitar and perched on the table. As I walked by, he said,

"Beautiful day, isn't it? We are lucky to be outside."

I said, "Yes."

Then this burly man that looked like a construction worker started playing the guitar and singing Time In A Bottle! With the song behind me, I crossed the road to begin my trek up to St. Clair.

There, the enchantment of the castle vanished as cars blared and construction trucks blasted and ground their cargo to pulp. I went into a health food store where the proprietor tried to hurry an old woman without offending her, reminiscent of Bro Bro in his pharmacy.

She said, "I'm not sure if this is what I want."

He said, "What do you want to use it for?"

"I'm not sure."

"Vitamin C won't help with a rash."

"But I think that's what my friend used."

"Here are some products you can try. Choose one of them or take the Vitamin C and try. I don't think it will help." Meanwhile, a line started to form at the cash.

"Okay, I don't know, well I guess I'll take this."

"That'll be $5.29."

"Oh dear, I only have $5. Wait, I have four cents too."

"Okay, you can owe me 25 cents. Give it to me next time." He put her purchase in a bag and she stood there, fumbling with her purse and gloves.

Neither the proprietor nor the people lined up wanted to yell at the old woman, but gosh, we were sure impatient for her to get out of the way.

I bought some sorghum flour and peanut butter to make gluten free peanut butter cookies for my Celiac friend.

Shortly after I got home, The Boy came home from school. I drove him to his uncle's, where he undertook the paid gig of sweeping up and bagging the leaves in the front and back yards to prepare the grounds for spring. At least he sticks to his commitments.