Saturday, December 16, 2006

Strange days

Talk about a strange stretch of about two hours today. I had several destinations planned when I set out at around 1:00 this afternoon: the library (to pick up a couple of books awaiting for me), the bank machine (seems like I'm going through a lot of coin so far this holiday season, even though I only have a few people to actually purchase gifts for), the new BMV book store (I thought I might be able to find something for my parents there, but my heart - surprisingly, perhaps - wasn't in to book browsing; at some point I'm going to write about that chain of book stores and its threat to the true independent book shop, but today is not the day), to Trinity-St. Paul's Church (for the Last-Minute Craft Fair where my friend j-love was selling her soap), and then finally to Indigo to buy a gift for my nephew (I normally eschew Indigo, but I was told that this is one of the few stores in the downtown core where I could buy the particular gift that he wants and was requested by his mother to buy).

The library visit was fine, but then the strangeness took hold as I was walking along Bloor St. toward BMV. I didn't have a chance to react because she was past me before I knew it, but a woman I went on a few dates this past summer strolled right past me. I mention this only because this is the first I've seen her since the summer: she basically disappeared from my life, without warning and explanation. (She could have at least sent me a quick e-mail saying "I've left the building.") I figured I'd run into her at some point - this city is not that big, and we have a number of friends and acquaintances in common - but I wasn't expecting to see her on Bloor. I sort-of regret not turning around, catching up with her and saying hi, but perhaps it's for the best. (She was also with a friend and I thought that might add to the awkwardness - not hers but mine!) Still, I harbour no ill feelings toward her. I really just miss having her a part of my life, however small. She was a wonderfully interesting woman.

There was more weirdness to come at the craft fair. There was a woman hawking her handmade magnets who looked ridiculously familiar. I finally figured out who she was: someone who I had a raving crush on in high school. I actually used to see her fairly often when I lived in a different neighbourhood, but haven't seen her for at least 10 years. Even crazier, I actually brought her name up this week at work! It's the first time I've thought of her in years, and next thing you know, there she is! Small world indeed.

But wait, there's even more. As I was buying some greeting cards adorned with these interesting lino-cuts - I figured I could send them out as letters since I'm back in a letter-writing phase - the woman who created the cards said to me, "You're J., aren't you?" The crazy thing is, I had no idea who the hell she was! I think I figured it out (and I could be wrong): she's someone I communicated with months ago when I was originally trying the online dating thing. I don't remember how far it went - we never met, obviously, and probably only exchanged a few e-mails (one of which I must have included a photo). And truthfully I could have the story wrong. Perhaps she was confusing me with another J.

Two more sightings to report: Andrew Coyne from the National Post (looking rather befuddled), and then, perhaps the oddest of all, Michael Ignatieff in line (in a huge line, I should add) at Indigo.

Then I came home and caught the end of the movie You've Got Mail, which (and maybe this is really the oddest of all) I have a surprising soft spot for.

1 comment:

j-love said...

Wow! That's a lot of coincidences in one craft show, or one afternoon.

I'm curious about your take on that BMV bookstore; I've heard some pretty disturbing things about their practises...