Two Different Days

Okay okay, I went to meet a friend for coffee at a little restaurant/bar on
Queen Street. A few people were eating lunch and most of the rest were
drinking beer. Gazing about the room I noticed that most people were talking
to each other in reasonable and even jovial tones and generally seemed to be
in reasonably good moods. Even the people that were sitting on their own and
the ones watching the television news didn’t seem to have any look of
distress or concern on their faces. I’m guessing that this was just a
regular day, like any other day, in a normal situation. After I left I
walked towards the subway when a group of teenagers spilled out into the
street from McDonalds with about ten different because conversations going
on at once full of energy and laughter. They crowded the corner of the
street and actually stopped people from passing unencumbered. They were all
but oblivious to the fact that the sidewalk was busy with other people
because they were just enjoying their day without undue worries or concerns.
The following day I had occasion to be at a food bank, where in the waiting
area the atmosphere could not have been more different from the previous day had I been on another planet. The only real conversation taking place in the room was between two young girls playing with their dolls. The other
exception was a very angry woman complaining (to herself) aloud about the
service she was about to receive. Looking around and seeing the number of
people in the room I was surprised to find that there was very little
conversation or interaction in the room at all. Some people sitting together
(some were obviously couples) weren’t speaking with each other let alone
even looking at each other. I was also amazed by the number of silent people
just staring at the floor. Even when their “number” was called most faces
remained emotionless and without reaction. I really can’t describe the looks
that were on peoples faces but I do know how I felt. Hope-less.

The other night on tv I saw an interview with an O.P.P officer who stated
that in her opinion there were no “victims”,  just “volunteers”.

I don’t know anyone who volunteered to live like this.
beck-burke
08/09

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