Wednesday 8 July 2015

Those little moments that make it all worth it.

After waking up next to my temporary cat on a couch (By the look on his sleeping face I assume it was good for him too ;-), I feel hunger and head to a restaurant close by. 
I've been here a few times and the waitresses remember me.  I order my usual glass of white wine with food.


Mine was even fuller
The waitress brings me a large glass filled to the rim, lightly places her hand on my shoulder and says in a low voice "I put a little to much in there. Could you please drink some right now."  The place has a strict owner who would not look kindly on such generosity.  She walks away, I take a huge gulp lowering the fluid level substantially, look at the waitress, who by now has moved a few tables away questioningly, and she approves the remaining amount in the glass with a bright smile and a slight nod.


This has become a routine: I see her coming towards me with her body sheltering the overfull glass from the direction where the owner might lurk, I give her a slight nod and take a BIG gulp as soon as she puts the glass down.

I have seen the owner once or twice and in addition to being cheap to his staff as evidenced by several postings close to the kitchen he does NOT look like a person I would dare to mess with.
While I like a full glass of wine ;-), it might at some point become necessary to tell that lovely waitress that I am not worth risking trouble with her boss.


A few days later she arrives at my table with a beaming smile.  Today is your lucky day, she says, when presenting me with my double double yolk breakfast

Actual picture of my actual eggs ;-)

.
Life should and MUST NOT be about account balances and figures before and after the decimal point.  Life is about living human beings.  Like the Greek pensioner who tried to withdraw his wife's pension payment at 4 different banks.  

Grown men may be reduced to tears by loss or compassion but NEVER EVER should something as stupid as money be allowed to have that effect


Not my picture

Monday 6 July 2015

Oh F*** this city!

I have been back for a week now.

On day 2, a jet-lagged blogger has his first cigarette at around 6 am only to see across the courtyard of the hotel a slightly out-of-shape man in his 60s having a cigarette in front of the door of his hotel room.  The man is wearing nothing except his underwear.

On day 4 or 5, Vancouver actually issues an air-quality warning, telling people to avoid exercise and stay in air-conditioned spaces.  Reason?  High levels of ozone at ground level, which is a result of large volumes of car exhaust and heat.

On day 6 it is impossible to see the North Shore mountains from East Vancouver. Reason? Forest fires.  Again people are told to stay in air-conditioned spaces.  

On day 7 my car gets broken into.  No, there is nothing in it, but that didn't deter the culprits.


Third most liveable city on this planet?  Time to burn The Economist.