Dispatch From Québec - 3

The day went by, yesterday, without being disrupted by much. The weather’s schizophrenic – raining one minute and extremely sunny the next, with high winds blowing unexpectedly and making various objects move in a direction you might not wish them to go.

I went laying in the grass in the middle of the afternoon, after yet another visit to the Van Houtte coffee shop to check my emails. Not many news from the city were awaiting. I tried to read a Jon Lee Anderson article on Fidel Castro in a New Yorker issue I brought with me, but rapidly fell asleep. It was a good nap, ponctuated by screaming kids or dogs passing by. There are lots of smokers here, a bit more than I would have expected, and it still seems trendy to pollute the air around you while destroying your own lungs. I have even seen a kid, probably trying to look cool, no more than 13 years old, light up next to me while I was contemplating the fountain. I don’t have much to say about this kind of behavior.

Mr. Finances got here around 2 and called us to inquire about the expo’s closing hour. I saw him walk near the Delta hotel while coming back from Sultan, where I once more went to get us some lunch. I walked him to Miss Bijoux’ booth and we picked up some beer on the way. The McAuslan boys are in town to promote their beer, and there’s an « artisan » deal where you get a respectable glass for 2$. Some of the party monsters we’re « working » with begin their beer run as early as 2 PM, sipping on their numerous glasses until it’s time to close.

Mr. Finances & I sat in my « office », a strip on grass where I have set up two chairs, my Powerbook and a few magazines. That is where I basically spend all my time, reading or helping out my girl.

After two glasses of beer, Mr. Finances’ girl showed up and they went to eat something on St-Jean. They were back just in time to pick us up and drive to Sonar, where we invited a couple of fellow artisans who seemingly didn’t feel like it. Mario greeted us at the door and we found the place half empty, with a DJ quietly mixing generic house while we sipped on our 5$ drinks. We had gin tonics, Southern-Comfort / cranberry, peach schnapps / 7Up… until we got bored and I was about to fall asleep on the table. We went back to our bed & breakfast, where we for once spent a quiet night.

*

This morning, we packed our things and ate our last breakfast at the Bedondaine, and then rode the bus to get here.

We were greeted with a zealous security guard who, when told that my pass was buried deep in my back pack, still insisted to see it. A loudmouth artisan heard him and shouted : « I can confirm that these guys have been here all along with us, for I’d say the last 12 days. »

The organisers had prepared mimosas, and I managed to get a glass from Miss Bijoux, one on my own, and another one from the chick who sells hats a couple of booths away. I can’t help making friends everywhere I go. And this is how I got a bit « cocktailed » this morning, feeling tipsy as I type.

For some unknown reasons, my watch gave up and I have no idea of what time it is.

*

We’ll get back in time tonight, and get a good night’s sleep in our most wonderful bed. The show closes at 6, it’s time to say goodbye, come and say hello. Our « take down » shouldn’t last more than an hour, after which we’ll eat sumthin’ and get going.

My DVD-R of SAFARI 3000 will hopefully be in my mailbox, along with an issue of MacLean’s, and lots of bills.

I always consider Montreal to be my favorite city ever, and the feeling only solidifies whenever I visit places like Québec – pretty on the outside, but oh so empty on the inside. People are nice, make no mistakes; but when it comes down to being fast, cultural, dynamic and out of control, Montréal c’est ma ville. All over the place.