Did I mention I was in Montreal two days ago? When I woke up at the venue I kept asking my friends where we were. "We're in Montreal" they'd say. "I know that" I'd say with irritation "but where in Montreal - where is downtown?". Finally I found a Montrealer who now lives in Vancouver named Pierre. He told me I was North of downtown by quite a few blocks. I knew I'd have to escape from the venue and go for a walk. I did this - I wore my radio though - I escaped through a hole in a fence, through garbage in an alley, over train tracks, by a greek music festival, past the Parc metro stop and walked on a Montreal street. I saw a bagel shop and several grocery stores. I went into two shops before I found my golden chalice, the raison d'etre of my quest. That is - a bottle of Laurentide for Caroline. Well, actually a supercan (pronounced 'soupair' can.) I also bought some old bags of Poutine flavoured chips - dated August 8 - hope they'll be edible after the 24th! And last but not least I bought a package of this wierd juice I loved years ago when I lived in Montreal for a few months. Outside one of the shops I found an old bike - a real cranky one with a big wire basket. I've had a fantasy of being a little person with a delivery job driving one of these bikes with the basket full of booze, bread and cheese for some kindly old lady with the name of Claudelle or Manon or the like. Maybe when i'm fired from this job I can hitch a ride on a train out east and get me a delivery person job. I look young and possibly androgynous with the right short haircut. I could pass for 10 or 12 with the right light.

We had a day off in Ann Arbor Michigan on the 18th. Cathy and I walked Huckleberry Finn style through tall grass thick with wispy winged critters, smushed cigarette packages and signs saying "Sprayed With Pesticide - Stay Off Until Dry". After about a half an hour walk past beautiful overgrown yards and curbside pepper gardens we arrived in downtown Ann Arbor. The town is old and collegey - old record shops, vintage clothing stores and the de rigeur Urban Outfitters. I walked into an old bookstore with collectibles. A very good selection but very expensive. i found a present for my brother Andy. I had a really yummy bagel with homous and a latte at a bagel place downtown. It was nice to sit and drink a coffee. Mmmmm Melriches. Later that day Cathy and I sat on the bus and watched a couple of movies - Bound and Jerry McGuire. We even ordered takeout from the creepy thai restaurant in the even creepier motel 6 form hell. Don't let me begin about the paving trucks owned by the family with 8 kids between the ages of 2 and 12. Can I hear a banjo playing? There was a cute bulldog there. His face and overbite were adorable.