I trip to Toronto, part 1

The 2005/06 school year came, officially, to an end. The final staff meeting was held, good-byes were politely addressed, speeches made, "see ya", "so long", and "keep in touch" mouthed but not meant. After thirty-four years, my career was over. The majority of my teaching experiences and work were done. My only job, my vocation, my avocation, completed. Everything ends and this was on my own terms.
I am no longer a teacher. I have left my calling and walked away without regret. The time I spent that last year was the best in ages. I taught what I thought the kids enjoyed. I gave them everything I had left to give. At the end, I was spent, but not in a way that left me worn out. I was spent in the way a dollar is spent. It was quite a ride!
I have no regrets. I always knew when I would go. I did not want to become a survivor, clinging to the flotsam of a career. The time came, the decision made, and the year enjoyed.

I bought a bicycle in July of '06. My buddy John and I would go on rides. It took me a while to get used to the hills. I still do not like them, except for the reward of a long coast down. The first hour I had my bike I cut my leg for six stitches on the derailleur. John and I had two small rides and on the third day we tackled Portland Street, "Breakheart Hill" ( so-called when driving up in the winter, and you think you made it to the top, traffic would halt, and when you couldn't advance because you r tires lost their grip, it would just 'break your heart'), and Caldwell Road. Caldwell Road was a long, six kilometre downhill coast that lead us to Cow Bay. At the end we rested a bit and started home via Eastern Passage and CFB Shearwater. I did not get to the Imperial Oil refinery before exhaustion hit. I was dehydrated and had no energy. My tank was completely empty. It took a long rest before I was able to continue. At the end, my third bike ride was thirty miles ( sixty kilometers). But I kept at it for the summer. John bikes 365 days a year. I am a "fair weather" cyclist.

In September '06, I went to Toronto. I had to go, I suppose, to convince myself that I wasn't tied to a schedule. The only other time in Toronto was as a chaperone for a grade nine school trip.. That was unpleasant because the kids were quite simply a bunch of snots and assholes. My trip had no schedule, no kids, and only one deadline. I had to be at the Skydome for the start of the ball game. Baseball is a sport I love and enjoy. To me there is nothing like the war between batter and pitcher. Even so, I have discovered that my limit is five game in a row. ( I suppose that if my favourite team were playing a different team each night, my limit may be expanded.) The sixth game I spent touring the ball park and sitting in the cheap seats and wondering if I lived in a major league town whether or not I would have season tickets.
During my stay in Toronto I hunkered down at the Days Inn on College Street for a couple of days and then spent the rest of the time at Bruce Slade's home. Bruce is my ex-wife's cousin. and he showed me around downtown Toronto. It is an interesting city with way too much to see and do in a short time. I took Bruce to Hy's Steakhouse.
I spent my first day in Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum. I was there for five hours and only explored the top two floors, studying the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman exhibits. I could have stayed longer but my leg was acting really wonky. I ate at a sidewalk vendor and enjoyed the ambience of downtown Toronto without the responsibility of looking after assholes. Evenings were enjoyed at the ball game. I neither remember nor care who won. I was at a major league park, watching major league baseball, having a beer and a hot dog. That, to me, is joyous Nirvanna. The second day I toured with awe the Hockey Hall of Fame.. I shook hands with Johnny Bower the Maples Leafs great goalie. I told him that he he broke my heart in 1967 with his team defeated my beloved Habs in six games to win the Stanley Cup. Johnny laughed and said, "We had a good team, lots of good players." Bower is shorter than I thought, about five feet six inches or so.