Like something out of a movie…

Our relationship was very boy-next-door/girl-next-door, growing up together, then strained by the long distances when I moved away, visiting on occasional weekends but the time apart changed us both and now we have our memories, but it just isn’t the same…

In case you didn’t realise, I’m talking about my love affair with Toronto. Tonight we had our last fling. After putting on my new $17 pants and $10 shoes (both purchased from Honest Ed’s this afternoon), I walked up my street, past the church where I was baptised, had my first communion and was confirmed. My first initiation into religion and spirituality. Through little Italy (so much trendier now than when I was little), up to the Annex where I spent many a night during my highschool days at the Second Cup with now estranged friends (how fitting that another estrangement should happen in the same neighbourhood only a couple years later). I do like the BMV books they put in there, but I suppose it’s for a different generation of Annexers. Past St. George and the new Varsity Stadium, the area my “best friend since she was 2 and I was 3″ now lives (last I heard). They tore down the Mr. Sub, the cheapie store, the Harveys and the bar along that strip. I’m guessing it’s going to be condos or maybe a hotel. Past my mum’s office into Yorkville (as trendy as ever) to the Cumberland theatre to have a last movie by myself (something I started in high school as an excuse to get out of the house and have a cigarette). I saw Fauteuils d’Orchestre, which was wonderful and felt quite appropriate at this point in my life. I will really miss the Cumberland. They have all the best movies.

On my walk home I stopped at Greg’s to get some roasted marshmallow icecream, but they were all out, so I had to settle for malted vanilla which, it turns out, tastes almost exactly the same! And of course the fudge sauce. Mmm. Another thing I will miss. And I gave a dollar to one of my favorite homeless people (he’s always so polite and friendly and even flattering and I genuinely feel bad when I have nothing to give him).

So we’ve had some good times and some bad. We’ve both changed, for better or for worse, who’s to say? I will miss being able to come visit whenever I feel homesick, I will miss that feeling of pride coming in off the Gardiner and seeing our incredible skyline (I still think it’s the best in the world), I will miss walking through this city and feeling safe – even if I shouldn’t – because it’s all so familiar. Maybe some day I will come back, maybe I’ll teach here, maybe I’ll settle down and start a family here, but for now it’s all memories that are too painful to deal with.

So Goodbye Toronto. I’ll see you again soon, holidays and family visits and the like. And I guess all that’s left to say is Hello Montreal.