Gruffy Guy

Last month, The Man and I tried out a new steakhouse on St. Clair. To promote the restaurant, the owners had a game where at the end of the meal, you get to pick a card. Each card represents an item on the menu. The Man won a 12 0z filet mignon, valued at $25.95.

Tonight, we went back to the restaurant for dinner so we could use up the voucher before it expires. At the restaurant, we ran into Gruffy Guy, a friend The Man knows in the hood. They met when they protested against McDonald's trying to put in a drive-thru at St. Clair and Christie.

Gruffy Guy is a long-haired, bearded, over-weight, old hippie. He played bass in the 70's with a band called Southern Comfort. Apparently, they were quite big in North America. But right now, he's doing odd jobs here and there, including being sound technician (he was the The Boy's sound man at Zemra and other community gigs when The Boy was with the Green Jazzberries), cleaner at the karate studio, cross-walk guard, among other things.

Apparently, he doesn't need money, he just wants to keep busy. He's gruffy l0oking and is always in a plaid shirt, jeans and construction boots. He wears a short pony tail and has frayed white hair. You'd never think he was more than a street sweeper. But he's articulate and funny when you talk to him.

He was having dinner at the steakhouse also, so he came to our table to chat. He told us about what he's been doing. In the course of our conversation, he said two things that made our jaws drop. He said,

.... I was jamming with Peter Noones. He lives in Mississauga. (Noones is the lead singer of the Herman's Hermits. The Man and I went all the way to Casino Rama to see him two years ago.)

... I went to Prince's house for a party the other night. (The Man inquired about how Prince decorates his house and we got a description of it.)

The things you find out about people in the hood.