Nights....

The first night was a surprise for me ...a much rejuvenated area since my youth. Down St.Urbain and Viger. I stayed at a Holiday Inn that was just a few steps from the Palais /and the Metro Station.. still learning after all these years. Wonderful...but then I had to do something stupid ..and the next night found me at an old Victorian  B&B on Stanley. ( For old time sakes..I would stay there 1978-1983 whenever I missed my transportation to Grand'Mere, only a 2 hour drive away. It was not often. But My friend- I am sad to say it felt as old as I did.) And the words that kept running through my mind ,( I do not need an Ipod for that..) "My body aches in places where it used to play;" while my poor aching body was trying to crawl into a hot bath tub.

Oddly enough, people were very patient with my crankiness; and need for constant help. A Vietnamese Boy Scout, in a bright red shirt plastered with badges, helped carry my bag down the escalator at 201 Viger to wait for the taxi. He was perpelexed why I didn't continue to the Metro- which was only across the street. He did not understand that my body was wracked with pain- that I could NOT stand up long enough for 'Speed Dating'- Long enough for three fascinating individuals.
One was a Nurse Union leader in the Philippines; the next was a mademoiselle from Magog, who worked for a computing firm; and the next was a Pakistan male; who had taken the train from New York. Most from New York City had taken the train to Montreal. It is not that far.( I had forgotten it was the 10th anniversary of 9/11).
Discouraged at the way I was spending money like water- I decided to cut short my visit; and heroically to the metro to Berri; where again I was helped by strangers with my bag up the stairs. (Montreal Metro lacks in escalators in key areas.) to the 747 transit to the Airport. Boarded ( again with much courtesy and help) Happy to be on my way on this beautiful ,sunny Sunday.
Between St. Urbain and Mansfield, the bus stopped and a man jumped on and asked me to get off the bus; and that I was to take a taxi instead to the airport. He was to pay for it. But truly , I was happy to be where I was ; and unfortunate that I did not have $8.00 in change to pay for his transit. Past Peel he got off; to take the taxi. I was happy-