Big Black Oak desk

Today, I knew I had plans to take my neighbour to Toronto to pick up his son for Christmas. So much more happened than that.

Elizabeth called to ask for help to move a desk. An architect had donated a heavy oak desk to the Arts Council, but more people were needed to get it out and away. I told her I would wait at the Strega until the truck was ready. While at the Strega I drank coffee and shot the breeze with Edwin and some fellow reading some papers. He had a stack of photocopies and papers on the table. I said: "If you read all that, someone should give you a certificate." He wasn't a student, but an instructor from the University of Toronto, marking papers from a class on structures. Elizabeth and Matt pulled up, so I left. Joe Lapinski was walking down the street so I called out to him.

When we arrived at the architect's office, we realized we needed more bodies to move the desk. I recalled seeing Joe, so Elizabeth trotted to the Strega to see if he could be recruited. Instead, she returned with Jesse, the fellow who had been marking the papers. We also managed to snag a mailman away from his route.

After the desk made its way to the Arts Council office, I showed Jesse that the Fine Grind Cafe also had Art Under Glass. He and Rob started talking, and it seemed to me that Jesse was seeing about booking a show. Turns out he also teaches at OCAD. We may be seeing some outsider art in St. Catharines pretty soon. Elizabeth drove us all back to the Strega and Jesse picked up one of my business cards.

Matt and I went off to Toronto making bad puns there and back. I can't recall them all, but I do remember seeing a store in Oakville: The Merchant of Tennis. One stop at the Whole Food store for some cheese and vanilla tea, and then Toronto. Matt pointed out a few murals along the Lakeshore an old accomplice had installed on local storefronts. The highways were jammed up like a dog eating a peanut butter sandwich.