Toronto On My Mind

Today while running errands, I dropped off my dry-cleaning at a little place in Shawnessey. It seemed nice enough and I'm in no position to commit time to comparison shop. The lady behind the counter dumped out my bag, counted my items and gave me a slip. "See you Wednesday, okay?" she asked. I smiled back, glanced down at my receipt to make sure they had my phone number right and noticed the total cost - $42.25.

And then, for the first time, I started missing Toronto.

Let's begin with the dry cleaning. I did my dry cleaning in Chinatown, where the amount that I brought in today would have cost me a whopping $15.00. I miss my dry cleaner.

I miss the Annex, my old neighbourhood. I miss the tree-lined streets. I miss the funny little shops on Bloor. I miss Mel's Diner. I miss the Thai restaurant on Harbord Street called Flip, Toss and Thai where the owner would greet me by name and in union we would call out my regular order, "shrimp pad thai, zero chili, extra peanuts, hold the tofu"

I miss Future's Bakery. I miss the subway and all the crazy people who ride it. I miss the incredible bookstore on Front Street where I could spend hours getting lost in knowledge. I miss the pasta in Little Italy and walks on the beach with Eddie. I miss the whir of the streetcar as it rumbled past my house.

I miss the theatre. I miss seeing major concerts. I miss being able to drive to New York in an hour. I miss the last school I was teaching at in the Spring, which in many ways is MILES ahead of the school I'm at now in terms of school spirit and student assessment. I miss my best friends and tea at Faith's house and ultimate Frisbee with the Phat Daddies and brunch with Eips and laughing with Emily (it never mattered where we went - we always were laughing)

I walked out of the dry cleaners in a daze. Hindsight tends to be selective; I remember the best things about Toronto and not the worst - the poverty, the humidity, the sense of being displaced. But I miss it all the same.

What to do to combat homesickness? This was my plan today: to drive up to MEC on a sunny Saturday afternoon and pick out winter stuff. Look up ski passes online. Make a commitment to hit the mountains this winter ... because if there's one thing that is going to make Calgary worthwhile, it'll be the skiing.

Or, y'know, the fact that my family is here. Or my amazing job.

I'm trying, I really am.

Now back to the Flames game.