15 April 2011
The night before the reading was magic. We went out with our friend Dayna. We were meaning to just go for one drink somewhere and then go get something to eat. But the barman, for an inexplicable reason, but very serendipitously, decided to engage us, me in particular, with a discourse on scotch that came complete with object examples. There were some very great samples at a very agreeable price. I reckon he was a saint.
I read at Drawn & Quarterly, which was an exciting prospect. So many colourful books. So many great books. If I weren't so distracted I would have bought the lot of them. I meant to come back the next day - record day - but the weather and our disposition dictated otherwise.
The event was very casual. I read with Jacob Wren. There were two nice people behind the cash. There was a stage and a microphone set up and a music stand with my and Jacob’s book on it. No one introduced us. We decided the reading order. I went first. We decided when to read. It was very cold on the stage. This was funny because everywhere we went I commented on how hot it was inside. So we were always taking off our coats in stores. It was cold and damp outside, but so hot inside everywhere. So I went on stage without my jacket or even my hat on. And it was very cold up there. Afterwards, we offered to sign books.
It was so great to talk with people I hadn’t seen in a long time. The audience was full of people I knew. That made me glad and nervous at the same time. It was like how I feel when there is a party for me. A birthday party. Or whatever. I always feel excited by that, but also rather conspicuous. But it felt good to read to my friends in Montreal. It was like reading to family. To that other kind of family.
I hadn’t been in Montreal for about 3 years. And the last few times we were there, we were dealing with all our stuff that we had in storage. A lot of stuff. So this was the first time together without that business to deal with. But there was this other business to deal with, which is a rather different kind of business. I was a bit distracted while I was waiting to read. Then afterwards, we went to a place to drink and eat and celebrate, and that was very much agreeable. Then, the next night we went out, but I was nervous thinking about Kingston, which was the next day, so it was difficult to enjoy myself, even though I saw even more people I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I spent more time with my dear friends.
Sandra had just been recently to Montreal, so she was less overwhelmed by it than I was. Montreal has a very special place in my heart. It does for my whole family. It’s always been a part of my life, one way or another. It is one of those places. There are not very many of them. Fewer every day. It was great to be there, but I wasn’t quite there under the circumstances in the way I would have liked to be there. However, there were moments. Very magic moments.
Wherever you go -- there you are.
