So, how do you like Toronto?
You're vegetarian?
How do you feel about Kyoto?
Do you miss Cold Lake?
What are you going to do when you graduate? Where are you going to move?
Your parents must be excited to have you home, hey?
Only 4 more months of the ultimate canned, prepared answer.
On my drive home this morning, to pack my bags for Edmonton, I saw one of my high school friend's mom on the side of the street. I pulled over and rolled down my window. "How do you like Toronto?" she asked. I broke all my rules and answered truthfully. "I really like living in Toronto," I said. These words are pure sacrilege to Albertans, and full-out blasphemy to Cold Lakers.
"I was worried about you, you know? When I heard you were moving out there."
"Really, why's that?"
"I grew up in Toronto. And coming from here, and growing up here your whole life," she said, gesturing to the trees in the foreground, "well, it's a tough city."
"Well, I'm a tough girl," I told her with a laugh.
She nodded her head in agreement and smiled. "That is true."
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Check out www.helpsavecoldlakenorthlibrary.blog.ca.
I'm off to Edmonton for job training until Wednesday.
Toronto is a "tough city"? That's a laugh-riot to me. I thought Toronto was one of the most pleasant cities I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI mean -- I've got helicopters flying over my house and shining the spotlight in my windows from time to time.
"You'll never take me alive, copper!"
Have fun in Edmonton!
People in AB hate Toronto. Toronto's lattes and Smart Cars (btw... great photo at the top of the blog) are too much for the drive-thru and Timmy's culture of Alberta. You and I will change it Jess. One library at a time.
ReplyDeleteMeh, the whole Alberta vs Ontario thing is old and I hate it when people talk "at" you about it (especially here in Edmonton or Calgary). This country needs both places and both ends of the cultural spectrum. What would Canada look like without all it's repressed homosexual, rednecked, conservative agenda from Alberta or the Liberal Hippy Douche-dome in Ontario? I'll tell you what we'd look like:
ReplyDeleteSweeden.
Screw Sweeden. Go Canada.
Those are annoying questions to be asked, but would you rather be asked somewhat specific conversation starters like that, or the kind of questions that long-lost high school acquaintances ask you at bars?
ReplyDelete"So, are you in school?"
...
"Nice. What are you taking?"
...
"Nice. What is that exactly?"
...
"Ahhh. What are you doing when you graduate?"
...
"Cool...talk to you in another five years."
What is this job-training of which you speak. I started work on Thursday. I'm the lead YSO. I have no clue what I'm doing. I keep bumbling until May 7th when I will receive some kind of training... oh Service Canada
ReplyDeleteRev- People smoked cracked on my roof on a near-nightly basis at China. Not a tough city persay, but definitely a far cry from Cold Lake. Realistically speaking though, Edmonton should be more feared. It doesn't have the nickname Deadmonton for nothing. (This references both how boring the city is, and the highest murder per capita rate in Canada. Cool, hey?)
ReplyDeleteCarla- I start work tomorrow. I'll send you a work related e-mail. Are you on the gvr'ment network? Or can you access outside accounts? Also, get this--I don't have a co-worker yet! As in, I may have to work all summer alone! (Yawn!)
From TO to Edmonton will surely be diffrent. It's good that you're tough, I have never lived in TO because I have been babied by smaller villages and towns but I'm sure it's a tough place to live.
ReplyDeleteI can only assume that you spoke with my mother...Based upon the fact that she grew up there and you referred to her as "one of my high school friend's mom" that you ran into on the side of the road...
ReplyDeleteToronto was different when she grew up there. It is so much better now.
--Tayla
Yup, it sure was your Mama I spoke with!
ReplyDelete