After a bad night, I got up late and called my friendly taxi driver to go to the Alexis Nihon Plaza. I did a few errands including mailing a parcel to Alice. I then had something to return at Canadian Tire. As the latter is in the basement level, I used the elevator.
There was a relatively long wait for the elevator during which time a middle-aged woman joined my vigil. I was vaguely annoyed at her for not taking the stairs. When the elevator came we got on. She made some vague comment about my injured status, then asked if I spoke English or French. This set off an alarm bell in my head and I noticed she was wielding pamphlets with the dread initials JW on them. I wasn't in the best of moods, so I replied with a question I have long wanted to ask a Jehovah's witness. "Do you keep kosher?"
This is not an entirely random question as the New Testament passage they use to justify their stand against blood products is very likely a reference to Jewish dietary laws. If A then why not B? Furthermore, if you then follow modern Jewish thinking, then blood transfusions are entirely acceptable.
The woman misinterpreted my statement as being indicative that I was Jewish and tried to back out of the conversation. I then said that giving blood is giving life and that the only reason I am here today is because of living-giving blood transfusions. She retreated from my irritation in the hopes of easier prey.
After Canadian Tire, I went to the gym to do a few exercises for a bit too long as I next had to do some grocery shopping. As I left the IGA, I noticed that my right shoelace was untied. I looked around for a handy chair, but the nearest one seemed to be very far away. I walked slowly towards a bench which seemed to get further away. Then suddenly, someone asked me if I would like my shoelace tied. I nearly cried with relief.
My friendly taxi driver was unavailable for the trip home so I headed out to the cab rank in front the mall. The driver of first cab was an older man who quietly fussed over me as I maneuvered into the back seat. He then got into the taxi and pulled out into traffic before putting on his seat belt. It was unfortunate that he did so right in front of a police officer who flashed his SUV's lights and told him to pull over with his loudhailer. The officer got out and reprimanded the taxi driver for not putting on his seat belt before pulling out. The taxi driver tried to use me as an excuse, but the peace officer was not interested and firmly warned him to always put on his seat belt before putting the vehicle in motion.
I wasn't terribly impressed with that driver given that incident and having to navigate for him. To be fair, my neck of the woods has gotten more complicated today with Saint-Antoine street having been changed to East-bound between Rose-de-Lima and Atwater.
I put my groceries away, then collapsed on guest room sofa for a doze.
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