Gay Pride

I went downtown today. I used to live downtown, or close to it, for a good 10 years and I enjoyed it. Took the subway everywhere and cabs everywhere else. Then I bought a car and started to spend less and less time in the downtown core, instead choosing to do my shopping at places that had free parking, until finally I gave up and just moved to the burbs, where I remain.

Anywho. A friend of mine invited me downtown to partake in a pedicure and her favoured salon at Yonge and Bloor, so off I went. And guess what else was going on? The Pride Parade. It seems like every time I make plans, they coincide with a parade. I have never once been to a parade of any sort but I am always caught in parade related traffic. So today, upon realizing that the salon actually overlooked the parade route, I was quite happy to be able to actually SEE an event instead of just enduring the irritating traffic by-products.  Except, as it turns out, the traffic jams are the most interesting part of the parade. I'm wondering...did I miss something? Granted, I couldn't see the first 10 minutes whilst my toenails dried, but afterward, we went to a restaurant and sat in the window to watch. All I really saw was people walking down the street in what may or may not have been groups. Just people, run of the mill people. People with backpacks and babies and bicycles. (And before anyone jumps all over me screaming "that's the point! We're all the same!" I know. I know. But it was a parade and aren't parades supposed to be totally over the top?)  And then all of a sudden there were street cleaners and city trucks and it was over. I didn't see a single float. Nary a rainbow or a drag queen to be had. Just people walking and people on the sidewalk, watching those people walking. THIS is what all the fuss is about? Really?

And speaking of gay....George Michael came on the radio today while I was getting my pedicure. I used to totally LUUURV George Michael (musically, at least) and hadn't heard any of his old songs in years, until recently, as he enjoys the obligatory retro resurgence in popularity. The song on the radio was Father Figure. A classic, sure. And apparently was ALSO a favourite of the two girls sitting next to me. 

Girl #1, suddenly, without warning, BURSTS into the song. I was quite alarmed, as were all three Vietnamese pedicurists. Then, as the chorus started, her friend joined in. And they both belted out the chorus like they were front row at his concert.  I have never seen this happen before - or at least, nowhere that didn't serve alcohol. And the worst  part, as jarring as it is, you sort of have to pretend its normal. I went back to my outdated Flare magazine and the pedicurists went back the our callouses and paraffin treatments and the girls just kept singing. Go George. You still rock, apparently.

On another note, tomorrow we leave for Thunder Bay. It's hard to pack for a month long trip, so instead of trying to decide what may or may not be handy to have, I'm just bringing it all. Strollers, booster seats, baby swing, bikes, riding toys, bouncy chairs, bumbo, bathtub, train tracks and practically every item of clothing that currently fit my children, for all weather eventualities. So yeah, I need to get back to work. 

Wish me luck. 

Edit to Add: OK, I saw some internet photos of the Pride Parade and apparently, there WERE  a few rainbows. They really must have crammed a lot of action into the first 10 minutes because what I saw was exceedingly colourless.