Hiro wrote about our long-weekend trip to TO after our plans for NYC fell through (Not quite New York City).

Here are some other notes on what happened from my perspective that he describes differently or didn’t mention:

• I spell my initials C-W not CW
• We went to the ROM
• Before the museum we went to BooJu, but got no stickers, boo
• I did have a flashlight or electric torch
• We met a girl named Ryan at the Madison
• Frankie, the unruly kid in Pizza Pizza, after threatening us, making homonegative comments and thrice throwing bits of crust at us and after Hiro made fun of him and throwing one piece of crust at him, came over and grabbed Hiro’s collar. Hiro didn’t raise a hand but kept mouthing off. I stood up and Frankie’s friend stepped in. The kid threatened me and I told him to control his ash sole friend. Frankie backed off and I sat down. Then some girl came over and started yelling at us how everyone “needed to sit down.” I replied, “Yes, everyone.” She was the only one standing up. Anyway his other buddy was still upset that Hiro was rude. I scoped the exits to make sure I got the kids out safely and we got our pizza and left. Frankie was content with verbal abuse. It’s too bad that kids grow up in an environment where these things happen. And at least Rochelle, one of “Frankie’s girls,” seemed nice.
• We went through St. George campus at the T and walked around Hart House. My favourite room is the great hall where they have the coats of arms of so many universities and the coat of arms of King George.
• We went to Cora’s, Kensington, and had Dim Sum at Bright Pearl.

In the early evening on Friday I went down from Shy’s new place, where the kids were, to stop by The Charlotte Room where my high school was having an alumni reception. For the past four years, when our crews are in St. Catharine’s for the regatta, they’ve had a recption in Toronto. I have attended three of them. The first two years it was at the Madison and the last two were at the Charlotte.

It was great to see Johno, Tony — teachers and coaches — and Robbie who is close to my year.

When I walked in Johno, Tony, Chris 197X, Rich 197x, and Samara 1989 were around the table. Ever-enthusiastic Johno jumped up grabbed my hand, shook it and knocked me on the shoulder. “How are ya?” he said and called me “Chan-Wing.”

In the end there were two kids from the 70s, three from the 80s, two from the nineties, and five from the zeros.

I found out that Patrick had worked at my sister’s firm in VanCity. Robbie told a bunch of stories being a broker. Samara told us how Natalie Portman was in her bookstore that week. Johno told us how the school was developing. We had a good talk with tony about rowing and how the school was changing. All those things as well as normal conversation.

I also had my camera and took some pictures. I sent them to Lara this morning. Robbie and I also got a photo with johno who was one of our rugby football coaches. In the photo Robbie bound onto my shirt like we were props in the front row.

Anyway, it was a great time contributing to a great day to start the weekend.