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13 years ago
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
in memoriam.
The 24th of August, 2008, was a day the earth stood still. And I don't know that it will ever go back to spinning on the same axis ever again.
I imagine that the day each person heard the news was not unlike the day Kennedy was shot. You remember exactly where you were. You remember exactly what you were doing. You remember exactly how you felt.
People say that cancer doesn't discriminate. Good people, bad people, older or younger. If ever there were a case for that argument, this was it.
Matthew McSheffrey.
The class goof.
The one who'd do anything, anytime to get a laugh out of us.
The small, warm center you couldn't help but gravitate towards.
The most spirited kid in the world discovered that, at the age of 20, he had leukemia.
Living in Calgary at the time, the native of my hometown decided that, after a few days of being sick, he needed to see a doctor. Marilyn told me that after she arrived at the hospital in Calgary at 2:00am, from the earliest flight she could get from Ottawa, the doctors and nurses had nothing but praise for Matt and how stouthearted and polite he'd been. She said they had already had a bed set up for her, and that Matt was asleep when she arrived. If there was anything that showed what kind of person Matt was, it was showcased perfectly in the first words he said when he woke up to his mother:
"I'm hungry."
Marilyn told me that the 8 months he was sick were the best 8 months she'd ever had with Matt and her other two sons, Steven and Daniel. She said that Matt never faltered in staying strong, that he saw through every day with a smile and with seemingly impossible positivity (and brownie bites, of course), straight through to the end. And on April 27th, 2009, the world said a reluctant and painful goodbye to a friend, a nephew, a grandson, and brother, a son.
But if anyone really knew Matt, they'd know that he'd want us to look back not in sadness for our loss, but in celebration for the time we were given with him. And though it was cut short, these memories are the gifts he left us with, and we should cherish these memories forever.
We're left with the memories of his contagious smile, his infectious laugh, his endless antics from public school up until high school (licking poles in the dead of winter; running tape across the road; eating whatever we dared him to eat; egging houses; chipping his brand new tooth the day he got it, and then walking around like Lloyd Christmas for god only knows how long.) The life of the party. The cause of the laughter. And though his physical self is no longer walking among us, his heart and soul will never leave us. He will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace, Matthew "McDick" McSheffrey.
We will love and miss you always.
p.s. Make those Habs take the cup for us this year, will ya?
I'll close this blog with a beautiful poem written by Matty's mother.
And We Remember Still
On angels wings you left us
A year ago today,
You sang your song
You ran your race
You had no fear,
you ran on faith.
You left us with such grace.
and we remember still
What we would do
To have you back
And hold you once again.
But every day we see your face;
And in our hearts you sing.
You ran your race with pride and grace
and we remember still
We held you in our loving arms
You hold on us your wings.
Your soaring with the eagles now
Your in his arms again.
The final race it was so rough
a tear you wouldn’t cry
You didn’t want your mom to hurt
The day you said good bye.
In McSheff style you went outside
To rest out in the sun,
your smile it shone., and in God’s grace,
You said the time had come.
and we remember still
No words can take the hurt away
Nor drinks would kill the pain;
The only thing we know for sure
Is that He called your name.
We miss you more than life itself
And we don’t understand.
But as you wished we do out best
show up and smile again.
and we remember still
You touched the lives of many
You built our strength within.
You taught us not to run and hide,
but smile and worry nil.
You chased your dreams with courage,
were kind to all your kin;
You lived your life with love and hope
And gratitude within.
and we remember still
Your smiles will never leave us
Your crazy antics win;
We loved you from beginning
until that bitter end.
You were the finest brother
the friend beside all friends;
The son who left too early,
a whisper in the wind.
and we remember still
And so we’re left with memories
Of hockey - sleepless nights;
From Calgary to quarry times
And parties till the end.
Your clubs they by the front door sit
can’t bear to let them go.
We wait with hope and heavy hearts
The rain in time will slow.
We know you’re up there somewhere
in time we’ll have our fun;
We’ll see you on the other side
And play a round my son.
and we remember still
We go to see you often
On the other side of town;
We know your’re not there really
Where your brothers laid you’d down.
Some days we’re not quite ready
To say good bye old friend
and So we leave you and in time’
and we remember still
The days are passing sooner now
the nights they aren’t so long;
The tears don’t flow so quickly
Your smiles to carry on
Your in our hearts forever
You’ll always be our song.
It’s been a year since you’ve been gone
And we last saw your face;
But every night we close our eyes
and feel your peace and grace.
and we remember still
The cards were dealt, we didn’t win
It’s not ours to question why.
We’ve learnt through time
We won’t forget Your laugh and silly grin.
You’re living deep with in us
Where the eagles soar on high,
We’ll do our best to fly with you
Until we meet again;
We’ll see you on the other side;
Good night sweet boy, our friend.
and we remember still
Always remembered, always loved.
I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always,
I’ll carry you with me, wherever you be,
As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.
Love you this much and more
Love U, Love Me
I imagine that the day each person heard the news was not unlike the day Kennedy was shot. You remember exactly where you were. You remember exactly what you were doing. You remember exactly how you felt.
People say that cancer doesn't discriminate. Good people, bad people, older or younger. If ever there were a case for that argument, this was it.
Matthew McSheffrey.
The class goof.
The one who'd do anything, anytime to get a laugh out of us.
The small, warm center you couldn't help but gravitate towards.
The most spirited kid in the world discovered that, at the age of 20, he had leukemia.
Living in Calgary at the time, the native of my hometown decided that, after a few days of being sick, he needed to see a doctor. Marilyn told me that after she arrived at the hospital in Calgary at 2:00am, from the earliest flight she could get from Ottawa, the doctors and nurses had nothing but praise for Matt and how stouthearted and polite he'd been. She said they had already had a bed set up for her, and that Matt was asleep when she arrived. If there was anything that showed what kind of person Matt was, it was showcased perfectly in the first words he said when he woke up to his mother:
"I'm hungry."
Marilyn told me that the 8 months he was sick were the best 8 months she'd ever had with Matt and her other two sons, Steven and Daniel. She said that Matt never faltered in staying strong, that he saw through every day with a smile and with seemingly impossible positivity (and brownie bites, of course), straight through to the end. And on April 27th, 2009, the world said a reluctant and painful goodbye to a friend, a nephew, a grandson, and brother, a son.
But if anyone really knew Matt, they'd know that he'd want us to look back not in sadness for our loss, but in celebration for the time we were given with him. And though it was cut short, these memories are the gifts he left us with, and we should cherish these memories forever.
We're left with the memories of his contagious smile, his infectious laugh, his endless antics from public school up until high school (licking poles in the dead of winter; running tape across the road; eating whatever we dared him to eat; egging houses; chipping his brand new tooth the day he got it, and then walking around like Lloyd Christmas for god only knows how long.) The life of the party. The cause of the laughter. And though his physical self is no longer walking among us, his heart and soul will never leave us. He will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace, Matthew "McDick" McSheffrey.
We will love and miss you always.
p.s. Make those Habs take the cup for us this year, will ya?
I'll close this blog with a beautiful poem written by Matty's mother.
And We Remember Still
On angels wings you left us
A year ago today,
You sang your song
You ran your race
You had no fear,
you ran on faith.
You left us with such grace.
and we remember still
What we would do
To have you back
And hold you once again.
But every day we see your face;
And in our hearts you sing.
You ran your race with pride and grace
and we remember still
We held you in our loving arms
You hold on us your wings.
Your soaring with the eagles now
Your in his arms again.
The final race it was so rough
a tear you wouldn’t cry
You didn’t want your mom to hurt
The day you said good bye.
In McSheff style you went outside
To rest out in the sun,
your smile it shone., and in God’s grace,
You said the time had come.
and we remember still
No words can take the hurt away
Nor drinks would kill the pain;
The only thing we know for sure
Is that He called your name.
We miss you more than life itself
And we don’t understand.
But as you wished we do out best
show up and smile again.
and we remember still
You touched the lives of many
You built our strength within.
You taught us not to run and hide,
but smile and worry nil.
You chased your dreams with courage,
were kind to all your kin;
You lived your life with love and hope
And gratitude within.
and we remember still
Your smiles will never leave us
Your crazy antics win;
We loved you from beginning
until that bitter end.
You were the finest brother
the friend beside all friends;
The son who left too early,
a whisper in the wind.
and we remember still
And so we’re left with memories
Of hockey - sleepless nights;
From Calgary to quarry times
And parties till the end.
Your clubs they by the front door sit
can’t bear to let them go.
We wait with hope and heavy hearts
The rain in time will slow.
We know you’re up there somewhere
in time we’ll have our fun;
We’ll see you on the other side
And play a round my son.
and we remember still
We go to see you often
On the other side of town;
We know your’re not there really
Where your brothers laid you’d down.
Some days we’re not quite ready
To say good bye old friend
and So we leave you and in time’
and we remember still
The days are passing sooner now
the nights they aren’t so long;
The tears don’t flow so quickly
Your smiles to carry on
Your in our hearts forever
You’ll always be our song.
It’s been a year since you’ve been gone
And we last saw your face;
But every night we close our eyes
and feel your peace and grace.
and we remember still
The cards were dealt, we didn’t win
It’s not ours to question why.
We’ve learnt through time
We won’t forget Your laugh and silly grin.
You’re living deep with in us
Where the eagles soar on high,
We’ll do our best to fly with you
Until we meet again;
We’ll see you on the other side;
Good night sweet boy, our friend.
and we remember still
Always remembered, always loved.
I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always,
I’ll carry you with me, wherever you be,
As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.
Love you this much and more
Love U, Love Me
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
HOLY F@#&ING BLUESFEST LINEUP, BATMAN!
From OttawaFestivals.ca
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organizers have announced the line-up for the 2010 edition of the festival. This year, scheduling will run from Tuesday, July 6 through Sunday, July 11 (Monday will be an off-day for fans and organizers to re-charge their batteries) and re-commence Tuesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 18. Festival organizers are expecting another year of great attendance while offering a dynamic festival experience, for what Billboard Magazine has ranked as one of the top-10 festivals in the world.
Confirmed Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest acts to-date include:
Alexisonfire;
Anders Osborne & Johnny Sansone;
Andrew Bird;
AfroReggae;
Arcade Fire;
Aterciopelados;
B-52s;
Babe Ruth;
Basia Bulat;
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba;
Bear in Heaven;
Big Jeezus Truck;
Big Soul Project featuring Roxanne Goodman;
Bill 'Sauce Boss' Wharton;
Bjorn Berg;
Blonde Redhead;
Campbell Brothers;
Caravan Palace;
Carolyn Wonderland;
The Cat Empire;
Champion and His G-Strings;
Charlie Winston;
Coolooloosh;
Crowded House;
Culture Reject;
Curtis Salgado;
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band;
Down With Webster;
Drake;
Dream Theatre;
Eamon McGrath;
Elvis Perkins;
Ethiopique;
Faber Drive;
Foghat;
Furthur featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir;
Garaga;
Gipsy Kings;
GOOD2GO;
Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles;
Great Big Sea;
Great Lake Swimmers;
Group 1 Crew;
Grupo Fantasma;
Iron Maiden;
James Hunter;
Jimmy Cliff;
Joan Jett;
Joe Krown Trio with Walter Wolfman Washington & Russell Batiste;
John Butler Trio;
John Hiatt;
John Kilduff;
Keith Urban;
Ken Workman & the Union;
Kevin Costner and Modern West;
Kings Go Forth;
Konono No. 1;
Lady Tramaine Hawkins;
Laurent Bourque;
Levon Helm;
LIGHTS;
Loudlove;
Lukas Nelson;
Marc Cohn;
Marcia Ball & The Voice of The Wetlands All Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux;
Marianas Trench;
Martin Sexton;
Matt Andersen;
Matthew Good;
Matt Schofield;
Metric;
Moneen;
Monster Mike Welch;
NEWWORLDSON;
Nicolas Collins;
Occidental Brothers;
Octoberman;
Ozomatli;
Passion Pit;
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines;
Planet Smashers;
Renaissance;
Richie Righteous;
River City Junction;
Robert Farrell Band;
Robert Randolph & the Family Band;
Roger Hodgson;
Ronnie Baker Brooks;
Roy Rogers & The Delta River Kings;
Rosanne Cash;
The Rural Alberta Advantage;
Rush;
Ryan Montbleau Band;
Santana;
Septentrional d'Haiti;
Slyde;
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes;
Staff Benda Bilili;
Steel Pulse;
Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks Project;
Steve Hackett;
Steve Winwood;
That 1 Guy;
That’s the Spirit;
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience;
The Aggrolites;
The Budos Band;
The Constellations;
The Ethics;
The Flaming Lips;
The Hold Steady;
The Lost Fingers;
The Love Machine;
The Mohawk Lodge;
The Moody Blues;
The Musical Box;
The Swell Season;
The White Wires;
Timber Timbre;
TJ Wheeler;
Tommy Castro;
Too Slim and The Taildraggers;
Trevor Hall;
Tye Tribbett;
We Are Wolves;
Weezer;
Woodhands;
Yatkha,
with more to be announced.
http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca/ for more details!
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organizers have announced the line-up for the 2010 edition of the festival. This year, scheduling will run from Tuesday, July 6 through Sunday, July 11 (Monday will be an off-day for fans and organizers to re-charge their batteries) and re-commence Tuesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 18. Festival organizers are expecting another year of great attendance while offering a dynamic festival experience, for what Billboard Magazine has ranked as one of the top-10 festivals in the world.
Confirmed Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest acts to-date include:
Alexisonfire;
Anders Osborne & Johnny Sansone;
Andrew Bird;
AfroReggae;
Arcade Fire;
Aterciopelados;
B-52s;
Babe Ruth;
Basia Bulat;
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba;
Bear in Heaven;
Big Jeezus Truck;
Big Soul Project featuring Roxanne Goodman;
Bill 'Sauce Boss' Wharton;
Bjorn Berg;
Blonde Redhead;
Campbell Brothers;
Caravan Palace;
Carolyn Wonderland;
The Cat Empire;
Champion and His G-Strings;
Charlie Winston;
Coolooloosh;
Crowded House;
Culture Reject;
Curtis Salgado;
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band;
Down With Webster;
Drake;
Dream Theatre;
Eamon McGrath;
Elvis Perkins;
Ethiopique;
Faber Drive;
Foghat;
Furthur featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir;
Garaga;
Gipsy Kings;
GOOD2GO;
Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles;
Great Big Sea;
Great Lake Swimmers;
Group 1 Crew;
Grupo Fantasma;
Iron Maiden;
James Hunter;
Jimmy Cliff;
Joan Jett;
Joe Krown Trio with Walter Wolfman Washington & Russell Batiste;
John Butler Trio;
John Hiatt;
John Kilduff;
Keith Urban;
Ken Workman & the Union;
Kevin Costner and Modern West;
Kings Go Forth;
Konono No. 1;
Lady Tramaine Hawkins;
Laurent Bourque;
Levon Helm;
LIGHTS;
Loudlove;
Lukas Nelson;
Marc Cohn;
Marcia Ball & The Voice of The Wetlands All Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux;
Marianas Trench;
Martin Sexton;
Matt Andersen;
Matthew Good;
Matt Schofield;
Metric;
Moneen;
Monster Mike Welch;
NEWWORLDSON;
Nicolas Collins;
Occidental Brothers;
Octoberman;
Ozomatli;
Passion Pit;
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines;
Planet Smashers;
Renaissance;
Richie Righteous;
River City Junction;
Robert Farrell Band;
Robert Randolph & the Family Band;
Roger Hodgson;
Ronnie Baker Brooks;
Roy Rogers & The Delta River Kings;
Rosanne Cash;
The Rural Alberta Advantage;
Rush;
Ryan Montbleau Band;
Santana;
Septentrional d'Haiti;
Slyde;
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes;
Staff Benda Bilili;
Steel Pulse;
Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks Project;
Steve Hackett;
Steve Winwood;
That 1 Guy;
That’s the Spirit;
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience;
The Aggrolites;
The Budos Band;
The Constellations;
The Ethics;
The Flaming Lips;
The Hold Steady;
The Lost Fingers;
The Love Machine;
The Mohawk Lodge;
The Moody Blues;
The Musical Box;
The Swell Season;
The White Wires;
Timber Timbre;
TJ Wheeler;
Tommy Castro;
Too Slim and The Taildraggers;
Trevor Hall;
Tye Tribbett;
We Are Wolves;
Weezer;
Woodhands;
Yatkha,
with more to be announced.
http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca/ for more details!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Ottawa gets it UNdone.
Who would have EVER thought I'd be mingling with marketing and communications people? What's worse... I actually loved being in their presence. What's wrong with me?!
But let's be serious here for a moment. The Untweetup: awesome. Drinks were flowing; connections were basically materializing out of thin air; and there was laughter aplenty. Going in, I hadn't a clue what to expect or how it would turn out, and to be perfectly honest, I was little nervous about it. And walking in the door to Foundation at the exact same time as Scott Stratten, Mr. Man-of-the-Hour in the flesh, was a minor coronary in itself (or SQUEEEE!!-inducing, he might say). But I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything moved along.
I walked in and immediately recognized some familiar Ottawa tweeps. And it wasn't long before I was being introduced to a couple of new ones, too. Among them were Matt Cameron (@MattKCameron) and Kyle McInnes (@KyleMcInnes).
I don't think it's really possible to properly represent just how ridiculously hilarious these two were. A couple of fast-talking, quick-witted, and clever tech bloggers--characteristics so lethal that, combined in the right quantities, the result is likely to be similar to napalm. I don't think I've laughed harder at nerdier things in my entire life, ever. From their idea of creating a completely new computer platform called, quite simply, "Awesome Shit" (no usernames, no passwords, just all awesome); to @TweetNotes, a ColesNotes type Twitter account dedicated to simplifying literary classics in 140 characters or less (Dorian meets Sibyl. Sibyl falls in love. Shallow Dorian loses interest. Dorian indulges in debauchery. Regret. Futile confession. Suicide.) If any of you noticed Scott's OH tweet about "six pounds of ketchup in the colon," Yeah. That was Matt Cameron. Also... Did you know that there is approximate $0.25 worth of gold in Goldschlagger? It's true.
When I finally got to meet Scott, I thought my knees might give out. You know, he's much taller than I imagined. And highly entertaining. He walked over to the small group I'd been hanging around the whole night, wondering what all the fuss about the "back of the bar" was. He told us all about his fun with airport security, in a manner not unlike a stand-up comedian. I asked him if there'd be any karaoke on the menu for the night because rumour had it that he could command an audience with a mean rendition of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer." He told me about his timely breakup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and said that I should probably do the same. Although I don't think I'd get any phone calls from Leafs head honchos with free invites to games.
Another highlight of the night was meeting David Hicks (@ALL_CAPS). What an agent. He complimented my "fembot" nail polish and offered me a slice of sound parenting advice, all in the same breath. After talking to him, I tweeted that I'd discovered David Hicks was actually human, quelle surprise. And then someone replied to me, "Don't be fooled by the fleshy exterior. #terminator."
Must investigate further.
So, all in all, the night was pretty prolific. I came home with a pocket full of business cards, a few new followers, and an entirely new and fond respect for Ottawa, the city and the tweeps who inhabit it. AND I managed to avoid any contact with the iPad that was floating around the room the whole time. A pretty impressive feat, if I do say so myself.
A million enormous thank-yous go to GenYOTT and Scott Stratten for organizing this event. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I can hardly wait for the UnBook tour this fall. Hopefully the weather will be a little more generous to Mr. Stratten the next time around.
Oh right, and one more thing:
The unturban was golden.
But let's be serious here for a moment. The Untweetup: awesome. Drinks were flowing; connections were basically materializing out of thin air; and there was laughter aplenty. Going in, I hadn't a clue what to expect or how it would turn out, and to be perfectly honest, I was little nervous about it. And walking in the door to Foundation at the exact same time as Scott Stratten, Mr. Man-of-the-Hour in the flesh, was a minor coronary in itself (or SQUEEEE!!-inducing, he might say). But I was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly everything moved along.
I walked in and immediately recognized some familiar Ottawa tweeps. And it wasn't long before I was being introduced to a couple of new ones, too. Among them were Matt Cameron (@MattKCameron) and Kyle McInnes (@KyleMcInnes).
I don't think it's really possible to properly represent just how ridiculously hilarious these two were. A couple of fast-talking, quick-witted, and clever tech bloggers--characteristics so lethal that, combined in the right quantities, the result is likely to be similar to napalm. I don't think I've laughed harder at nerdier things in my entire life, ever. From their idea of creating a completely new computer platform called, quite simply, "Awesome Shit" (no usernames, no passwords, just all awesome); to @TweetNotes, a ColesNotes type Twitter account dedicated to simplifying literary classics in 140 characters or less (Dorian meets Sibyl. Sibyl falls in love. Shallow Dorian loses interest. Dorian indulges in debauchery. Regret. Futile confession. Suicide.) If any of you noticed Scott's OH tweet about "six pounds of ketchup in the colon," Yeah. That was Matt Cameron. Also... Did you know that there is approximate $0.25 worth of gold in Goldschlagger? It's true.
When I finally got to meet Scott, I thought my knees might give out. You know, he's much taller than I imagined. And highly entertaining. He walked over to the small group I'd been hanging around the whole night, wondering what all the fuss about the "back of the bar" was. He told us all about his fun with airport security, in a manner not unlike a stand-up comedian. I asked him if there'd be any karaoke on the menu for the night because rumour had it that he could command an audience with a mean rendition of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer." He told me about his timely breakup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and said that I should probably do the same. Although I don't think I'd get any phone calls from Leafs head honchos with free invites to games.
Another highlight of the night was meeting David Hicks (@ALL_CAPS). What an agent. He complimented my "fembot" nail polish and offered me a slice of sound parenting advice, all in the same breath. After talking to him, I tweeted that I'd discovered David Hicks was actually human, quelle surprise. And then someone replied to me, "Don't be fooled by the fleshy exterior. #terminator."
Must investigate further.
So, all in all, the night was pretty prolific. I came home with a pocket full of business cards, a few new followers, and an entirely new and fond respect for Ottawa, the city and the tweeps who inhabit it. AND I managed to avoid any contact with the iPad that was floating around the room the whole time. A pretty impressive feat, if I do say so myself.
A million enormous thank-yous go to GenYOTT and Scott Stratten for organizing this event. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I can hardly wait for the UnBook tour this fall. Hopefully the weather will be a little more generous to Mr. Stratten the next time around.
Oh right, and one more thing:
The unturban was golden.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
an ode to Carmen
You know those moments, those rare little slices of life that you hear or read about, random acts of kindness between strangers, that you just can't help but smile about? I guess yesterday was my day.
I was at a department store in search of the perfect boyfriend blazer. I had the style, the colour, the texture of the material pictured exactly in my mind, and I wasn't going to leave until I found it. It wasn't long before I spotted the sleeve of my would-be dream blazer sticking out between two ungodly leather jackets. Kind of like it was waving me over.
I heeded the beckoning of the inanimate object. I reached out, grasped the peeking sleeve lightly, and when I felt the silk-like texture of the material, I knew I'd found it. I reefed the two unsightly jackets it was sandwiched between away from it, and there it was. In all of it's glory. All of it's... $110.00 glory.
You know that little tune you hear when Mario dies? Yeah. Cue that music right about now.
Damn it.
There's no way I'm forking out that kind of cash for a blazer. It's not that special...
Okay, it was, but I'm not exactly swimming in excess cash here. So, with a sigh of reluctance and bitter defeat, I put the jacket back. It just wasn't meant to be for me and you, Beautiful Boyfriend Blazer. There's gotta be another one here somewhere. I walked away.
It must have been about ten or fifteen minutes later when I felt a little tap on my shoulder, followed by a pretty little french accented voice:
"You have impeccable taste, young lady."
Before I looked at her, I looked at what I had in draped over my arm: a plaid button-up and two white t-shirts. Uhh? She's not talking to me, is she? And I looked at her, and at what she had draped over her arm. THAT BITCH. She had my jacket. And by the looks of her, she could afford it. Okay, lady. Rub it in. It's fine.
"I saw you looking at this jacket a few minutes ago, and I just thought it was beautiful. I tried it on, but it's too small for me. You need to buy this."
"Oh.. uh, yeah.. I wanted to, but I really can't afford it.."
She looked at me like I was being silly or joking or something. "What do you mean? If you love it--and I know you do--just buy it. I watched you when you were looking at it. It's worth it, isn't it?"
Okay, lady. Do you work here or something? Why are you trying to get me to buy this? I don't get it.
"Don't be silly. Let me see it on you. Here."
I think in a normal situation, I would have been weirded out to the max by this. But there was just something about her, something that was warm and welcoming, motherly, even. So I put my stuff down, shimmied in the jacket, and walked over to the mirror with her. OBVIOUSLY it fit me perfectly. Like it was made for me. Which just made it even worse. I am sooo not made for this expensive clothing bullshit.
"SEE! Tell me you can't buy that now. Look at yourself!"
I wanted to cry. Why, oh, why must I be so broke. Stupid money. Stupid life.
"Listen to me. Put this other stuff you've got back. You have to buy it. You'll regret it if you don't."
The look she gave me was hard to explain. It was a combination of genuine admiration and.. pleading?
"You know what," I said, "you're right. I will regret it. And if I wait, it won't be here when I come back for it. I'm going to do it. I'll be angry with myself later, but oh well. I'm buying it."
"Good girl!"
We shot the breeze for a little while longer while I continued to skim the racks. I wasn't really registering anything I was looking at. I was pretty much inside my own head at this point, trying to figure out how I was going to budget after this ridiculous purchase. Why am I so weak sometimes?
"Well, young lady, it was nice talking to you. I'm going to go pay for my things now. Enjoy your jacket!"
"Thanks. It was nice to meet you."
She walked away and up to the cash area. Just as she was finishing up her transaction and grabbing her bags, I got in line. She turned around before leaving, held her hand out to me and said, "I'm Carmen, by the way."
"Oh, I'm Elizabeth," I said, almost dropping everything on the floor as I tried to hold my arm out to her to shake her hand.
And then, as we shook, I felt something paper-like her hand. Oh god, please tell me she's not giving me her number or something. Look lady, you're gorgeous and nice and evrything, but I'm not exactly batting for that team.
She just smiled at me and said "It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth."
When she removed her hand from mine, I stupidly looked down at my hand, contemplating how to react appropriately without being rude. And then I saw it.
It wasn't a phone number, Elizabeth, you moron.
It was money.
Money? Yeah. Money.
A nice, crisp bill.
No.. I'm not taking money from a stranger. That's not right. I looked back up at her to try and reason with her, tell her I couldn't, in good conscience, take her money. "No, plea..." But she was already on her way out the door.
"You'll never forget me!" She said with a wave and the most wonderfully generous smile.
I just stood there: jaw on the floor; money in hand. I must have looked ridiculous.
When I finally came to, I turned to the boy at the cash register.
He had a giant smile on his face.
"Cash or debit?"
I was at a department store in search of the perfect boyfriend blazer. I had the style, the colour, the texture of the material pictured exactly in my mind, and I wasn't going to leave until I found it. It wasn't long before I spotted the sleeve of my would-be dream blazer sticking out between two ungodly leather jackets. Kind of like it was waving me over.
I heeded the beckoning of the inanimate object. I reached out, grasped the peeking sleeve lightly, and when I felt the silk-like texture of the material, I knew I'd found it. I reefed the two unsightly jackets it was sandwiched between away from it, and there it was. In all of it's glory. All of it's... $110.00 glory.
You know that little tune you hear when Mario dies? Yeah. Cue that music right about now.
Damn it.
There's no way I'm forking out that kind of cash for a blazer. It's not that special...
Okay, it was, but I'm not exactly swimming in excess cash here. So, with a sigh of reluctance and bitter defeat, I put the jacket back. It just wasn't meant to be for me and you, Beautiful Boyfriend Blazer. There's gotta be another one here somewhere. I walked away.
It must have been about ten or fifteen minutes later when I felt a little tap on my shoulder, followed by a pretty little french accented voice:
"You have impeccable taste, young lady."
Before I looked at her, I looked at what I had in draped over my arm: a plaid button-up and two white t-shirts. Uhh? She's not talking to me, is she? And I looked at her, and at what she had draped over her arm. THAT BITCH. She had my jacket. And by the looks of her, she could afford it. Okay, lady. Rub it in. It's fine.
"I saw you looking at this jacket a few minutes ago, and I just thought it was beautiful. I tried it on, but it's too small for me. You need to buy this."
"Oh.. uh, yeah.. I wanted to, but I really can't afford it.."
She looked at me like I was being silly or joking or something. "What do you mean? If you love it--and I know you do--just buy it. I watched you when you were looking at it. It's worth it, isn't it?"
Okay, lady. Do you work here or something? Why are you trying to get me to buy this? I don't get it.
"Don't be silly. Let me see it on you. Here."
I think in a normal situation, I would have been weirded out to the max by this. But there was just something about her, something that was warm and welcoming, motherly, even. So I put my stuff down, shimmied in the jacket, and walked over to the mirror with her. OBVIOUSLY it fit me perfectly. Like it was made for me. Which just made it even worse. I am sooo not made for this expensive clothing bullshit.
"SEE! Tell me you can't buy that now. Look at yourself!"
I wanted to cry. Why, oh, why must I be so broke. Stupid money. Stupid life.
"Listen to me. Put this other stuff you've got back. You have to buy it. You'll regret it if you don't."
The look she gave me was hard to explain. It was a combination of genuine admiration and.. pleading?
"You know what," I said, "you're right. I will regret it. And if I wait, it won't be here when I come back for it. I'm going to do it. I'll be angry with myself later, but oh well. I'm buying it."
"Good girl!"
We shot the breeze for a little while longer while I continued to skim the racks. I wasn't really registering anything I was looking at. I was pretty much inside my own head at this point, trying to figure out how I was going to budget after this ridiculous purchase. Why am I so weak sometimes?
"Well, young lady, it was nice talking to you. I'm going to go pay for my things now. Enjoy your jacket!"
"Thanks. It was nice to meet you."
She walked away and up to the cash area. Just as she was finishing up her transaction and grabbing her bags, I got in line. She turned around before leaving, held her hand out to me and said, "I'm Carmen, by the way."
"Oh, I'm Elizabeth," I said, almost dropping everything on the floor as I tried to hold my arm out to her to shake her hand.
And then, as we shook, I felt something paper-like her hand. Oh god, please tell me she's not giving me her number or something. Look lady, you're gorgeous and nice and evrything, but I'm not exactly batting for that team.
She just smiled at me and said "It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth."
When she removed her hand from mine, I stupidly looked down at my hand, contemplating how to react appropriately without being rude. And then I saw it.
It wasn't a phone number, Elizabeth, you moron.
It was money.
Money? Yeah. Money.
A nice, crisp bill.
No.. I'm not taking money from a stranger. That's not right. I looked back up at her to try and reason with her, tell her I couldn't, in good conscience, take her money. "No, plea..." But she was already on her way out the door.
"You'll never forget me!" She said with a wave and the most wonderfully generous smile.
I just stood there: jaw on the floor; money in hand. I must have looked ridiculous.
When I finally came to, I turned to the boy at the cash register.
He had a giant smile on his face.
"Cash or debit?"
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