Toronto, Ontario
Across From Baskin
I was inspired to walk upon the sun’s movement in the
western sky. I couldn’t see the glowing
disc itself for the trees, the buildings and the time but I could perceive it
through the colours it left. It was a
mix of warm colours, from reds, to pinks to an almost purple. I wanted to gaze at it for some time but my
measly mission was to walk. And for that
I must watch the sidewalk, the curbs, the traffic and the pedestrians.
Oh yes, you really have to be cautious about
pedestrians. And as they are watching
your directions you must see where they angle.
It’s called social distancing.
At the furthest point of my evening trek, the intersection
of Christie and Bloor, across from Baskin Robbins ice cream, I sat on a curved
concrete ledge for a break. A curious
kind, a young man, sat next to me. I
slid over honouring the distance required and smiled.
“Oh don’t worry. I’m
immune!” he said.
“But I may not be!” I said in defense.
“What are you doing?”
“Relaxing. I just
finished chanting a mantra called gayatri.”
“Teach me,” he mildly asked.
“Here’s a card and on it is a mantra for peace.”
He tried. “Hare
Krishna!”
“Can you teach me another?”
“Try this one, ‘Govindam
adi purusham...’ I’ll give you something more simple. Om!”
He did well with that. He was colourful like the sky I saw
earlier. He pulled out a can of
Budweiser beer, then a cigarette and lit it.
“You’re not going to stay immune for too long when you do those
things,” I advised. He shrugged his
shoulders. I let him know I have to
return to where I came from.
May the Source be with you!
7 km
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