I like this one for the fact that the seagull picks up the pace once it’s got the goods, like it knows the jig is up.
Month: August 2010
Our education system demonstrated in Price Smart Foods
Ahead of me in the “dammit, I’m having an actual cashier serve me instead of using one of those robot self-serve thingers” line at Price Smart Foods the other day was a guy who looked to be in his mid to late 30s. He was not in what one would call prime physical shape so it was perhaps no surprise that he was buying a package of cigarettes (“Du Maurier KING size!” he admonished the cashier who could not seem to find this particular brand and size). Another cashier came along and was able to find the cancer-causing source of addictive pleasure he sought. His total rang up to $19.39. “Just like when World War II ended!” he chortled.
Yes, just like it if you were writing an alternate history version of Earth, maybe, Mr. “Du Maurier KING size”! At least he knew the year had something to do with World War II, so there is that.
In other random news, it was reported that Vancouver received less than 1mm of rain in July. It normally gets around 40mm. It’s been a little dry.
Vancouver Pride Parade 2010
Today I ventured downtown to watch the annual Vancouver Pride Parade, arriving on Robson Street about an hour before the noon-time start. The sky was overcast but there was no threat of rain. A sizable crowd was already gathered in the 1200 block where I chose to watch from. It would be standing room only, something my feet would hate me for three hours later.
Let me start by saying the energy and enthusiasm in both the parade participants and the crowd is great. The parade going on for two hours is less great. The weirdly large gaps between floats in the last half hour that feels like an attempt to pad things out is less great still. Being wedged in like the proverbial sardine with barely a micron to move to your left or right is what one might call not great at all. Still, I was there to have fun and take pictures.
My camera battery died partway through. I was tempted to pack it in at that point but I felt I’d be cheating someone by cutting out early. Mr. and Mrs. Pride, maybe. Plus I wanted to see the VGVA float. As it turns out, it showed up at 2:04 p.m., one of the last entries in the parade, and long after the camera had gone kaput. The boys had fun with their balls all the same.
I must say, though, there’s nothing quite like seeing an old guy get handed a fistful of Trojan condoms and wonder what to do with them. He ended up giving them to an appreciative and virile young guy standing next to me.