On a low concrete wall, facing Elgin Street, were Rocky, Shark, Irene, Loretta and Joy.
I said to Joy, "On Friday Shark, Irene and I took the number 14 together. It turns out that Irene lives about four blocks from me, and Shark, Shakes and I all lived a few blocks from each other in Cabbagetown, Toronto.
The paramedics arrived with an ambulance. They loaded Nick onto a gurney, into the ambulance, then he was gone.
"It's helped a lot being able to talk to someone about it. Thank you, my friend.
Today was muggy, overcast and warm. The fog of earlier had lifted, but the humidity remained. Sitting on the communal park bench were Shakes, Andrew and Joy. On the curb were Little Jack, Loretta, Sparky's daughter Fran, Ruth, her son Harry and daughter Nancy.
As I approached I said, "Hi Joy, did Shakes tell you that he and I were panhandling together yesterday?
"Okay, If you say so, Joy, I'll turn my head." He laughed.
"It's not funny, Shakes, you should start taking care of yourself, and change your clothes." He got up and sat next to his daughter Fran. Before long he was laying back on the grass.
"Jeff is moving out today. Bearded Bruce signed himself into prison Wednesday morning. He and Inuk have been together three years and she didn't even come home to spend their last night together. She owes Chuck money. She saw him Wednesday and didn't mention anything about paying him back. She said she's coming over tonight, but Chuck may have something to say about that.
"V, Chuck's dog, is going as well. Carl is trying to sell him. He's a biter. I reached under the bed to get my bottle of water and he chomped on my hand. I didn't even know that he was under there. With my free hand I punched him right between the eyes.
"When I get home I'll see if he responds to that. He doesn't pay attention to anything else, especially V. I think that dog has been abused. He's only six months old. He shouldn't be vicious like that if he had been well treated. Chuck doesn't have the patience for him anyway.
"He was talking to some guy yesterday from Kanata. Chuck is asking $100. If the guy is at all interested, but can't afford the price, I think he should drop it to $50. It would be nice if the dog could go there. He needs fields and a place to run.
"So, this weekend Chuck and I may have the place all to ourselves.
"I have to go to court next week about my breach, but my lawyer says it will be thrown out. I have all the medical records showing that I was in hospital.
"I saw my probie this morning. She arranged for me to take the anger management course with a counselor one on one. That's the only way I'd be able to take it. Audrey knows I can't do another prison term. The last time, they had me in the psych ward, in solitary under suicide watch.
"You may have noticed that I can be a bit mouthy sometimes. When I go through alcohol withdrawal, it's worse. You don't want to be around me then; I'm not a pleasant person. That would also cause me problems in prison.
"How is your pneumonia?" I asked.
"It's still there. I've been procrastinating about going to the clinic, but I need to go there to get my medical card. I could go to my old doctor. He'd give me a prescription for antibiotics, but I have a hard time dealing with him. He's one of those guys under a turban. Half the time I don't know what he's saying.
"He also checks my blood. If I go there after I've been drinking my levels are normal. If I go there when I haven't been drinking my levels are high. Go figure?
"My kidneys have been kicking me, so after I finish this bottle it will be a dry weekend. Either that or I go back to hospital for dialysis. I don't want that. As it is my sherry is so watered down, nobody else will drink it. Chuck calls it "goof". He and Shakes drink it straight. I couldn't do that now.
"When Big Jake and I were drinking beer we got along fine. We used to drink Labatt Blue, which is 5% alcohol. Then we switched to Labatt Maximum Ice at 7.1%. That's when our problems began. It was even worse when we switched to Imperial sherry at 20%. I could drink any of these guys under the table, but Jake just got mean and nasty. That's when he started beating me.
"Joy has been after Shakes not to pan handle at 'the bench', since it attracts attention, and when he lies down, she kept telling him to sit up. His daughter, Fran, was sitting beside him. I thought she would take care of him.
"Do you miss living in Toronto.?" I asked.
"Toronto has changed so much I wouldn't even recognize it. I'd prefer to live in the country. I studied horticulture for four years. I didn't do well with the chemistry, all those symbols. I like to grow things. Mike, a friend of ours has a place in Quebec on a lake. You met Mike the other day. His double pneumonia has cleared up, but he's still feeling very weak. He was looking white as a ghost. His mom is keeping a close eye on him. Anyway, he's invited us to stay for the summer. It has a row boat, a boat with a small motor for trolling. The only problem is we couldn't get any liquor up there. Maybe it would be good to dry out for a while. We'd still have our pot. We haven't decided.
By this time we had reached Irene's stop. It turns out that we're neighbors, living just five blocks apart. It's a small world. We said good bye and agreed to see each other at 'the bench' on Monday.The adventures will continue; same time, same place.
The weather today was uncertain; It was overcast, but not quite raining. At the park were ten of the usuals and one dog.
"We're planning to get an apartment together, the problem is she wants to go through the Salvation Army. I want to get something through my landlord. He has a bunch of buildings. If we get these workers involved, one group doesn't talk the same language as the other group. I've been in the Welfare system for twenty years. I know what to say to them, so they'll understand it, and I'll get what I want.
"I guess Anastasia is about 61, her mother is in her 90's.
Donald didn't make his methadone treatment. He was too drunk to walk. Even if he had made it there, they wouldn't have taken him in his condition. The adventures will continue tomorrow; same time, same place.