The problem with not being able to use my phone in another country is that that means I don’t have an alarm clock. Instead, I wake up, determine it’s still dark out, go back to sleep. Then I wake up again, see that it’s light, check the clock out in the hallway and realize I have an hour more before I meet Mike, so I go back to my bunk and take a “rest”… meaning I fall back asleep. I don’t wake up until 9:45 am and immediately run downstairs in my pajamas and find Mike finishing his pancakes in the lounge. Just as a sidenote, I’ve got to say one of the primary reasons I was down with staying at the Canadiana Backpackers Inn, other than Mike being there, was the fact that every morning they hold a pancake breakfast which I want to cash in on.
“Mike, I’m so sorry I’m late, I woke up an hour ago and accidentally fell back asleep… did you get the tickets for “Barney’s Version” already?”
“No, I was exhausted and just woke up awhile ago. I figure we can just go over there together and get the tickets.”
“All right, I’m going to run upstairs and get ready, eat breakfast, and then we can head over.”
So I do. I run upstairs and quickly throw all my baggage together, get dressed, head down, eat my pancakes sans butter (you know because, they don’t have any?!?!) and I’m thinking it should be no problem getting tickets for the movie since it’s only 10:30 and the movie doesn’t start for another two hours.
Mike and I walk over to the theater where we’re hoping to go see “Barney’s Version”, we might as well get our TIFF fill while we’re here. I mean, other than seeing each other, that’s why we came to Toronto. Of course, my previous expectations for there not to be a line is compleeeettteeeeellllyyyyy wrong. 30 people are already in line, waiting in the hot sun. Joining them, Mike and I consider if this is really how we want to spend our time… we decide it is, Mike convinces me that rushing (waiting in the line) is part of the TIFF experience. So we make ourselves at home and sit down next to a few other TIFF goers, begin talking to them about the movies they’ve seen, and find out that… the theater only takes cash… which Mike and I don’t have. So, we decide that Mike will run across the street to the ATM and get cash for us. He returns without success, so I run over and I too am refused. We determine that that specific ATM must be out of order so Mike tries to find another one... During that time, I start talking with the woman next to me and after awhile, she offers me an extra movie ticket voucher she has. Excellent. This means that Mike and I only need half the Canadian dollars that we did before. Mike returns, again without moolah, and we realize that since neither of us told our banks we were leaving the country, our accounts have likely been shut down. Well shit… I know I certainly can’t call my bank right now but Mike does, and they tell him that his card should be working again soon. While he’s off making the call, an elder woman walks by and gives three ticket vouchers to the girls sitting next to me. There are only two of them and they’ve sort of seen what’s going on with Mike and I, so they hand over their third ticket. All I’ve got to say is “Thank God for the kindness of strangers.” Now all we need to do is actually get into the movie and the only way that’s going to happen is if 20 people or more who have tickets to the movie don’t show up.
All of us in line are anticipating whether or not we’ll be getting in. 7 people in front of us are let in… then 4 more… then they say 11 people can now enter and that includes us and the pair behind us who gave us a ticket. Score. We all succeed and it feels like an accomplishment, indeed a part of the TIFF experience.
“Barney’s Version” is crowded, but Mike and I find a couple of seats with one right in front of the other that we’re able to take. The movie is amusing enough and the relationship between Barney and Miriam is really sweet, right through the end. I wouldn’t say the movie was worth waiting in line for 2 hours, but the experience of waiting with others, the conversations we had, the speculation about what to do if we couldn’t get into the movie (we would have gone to Yonge and Dundas and watched a Norwegian film), and the joy of actually getting in.
Sigh. Now it’s time to get Mike to the bus station. We go back to the hostel to grab his backpack, walk over to the bus station and wait. I’m so freakin’ tired but I have no idea when I’ll return to Toronto so I decide to stay out and about and haul ass over to the Distillery District to see if maybe, just maybe, Soma is open. Soma is an incredible chocolate store that has some phenomenal spicy hot chocolate. I walk that way, passing familiar places, and end up in the Distillery District and Soma is open, so I grab some hot chocolate and sit there drinking it before strolling around the area. There is a vendor selling awesome jewelry made out of coins from around the world. They are beautiful. I also glance into one gallery and they have artwork pieces made out or Rubick’s Cubes, which are awesome. It’s a really creative idea if you ask me.
Slowly, I stroll back to my hostel, pick up a sandwich along the way and just walk to the waterfront and sit, watching the lake, the seagulls, the people passing by, the boats, and think. Solo reflection time it be. I’m alone now, I’ve had an amazing weekend with my friends, I’ve re-realized that I’m a nerd and miss being surrounded by brilliant quirky folks. I realize that I love Toronto. I realize that this gives me energy to continue with what I’m doing. I thrive on the interactions I have with the people I love.
Then it’s time for me to finish getting to the hostel, pick up my own bags and return to the bus station to catch my Megabus back to the States.
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