Grannie Smith

She wasn't my grandmother, or perhaps anybody's, but she was elderly. She was something of a fixture in Port Coquitlam, in the 1970's and 1980's. She lived with a husband, but by all accounts he was neither faithful nor nice in general.

In the 1970's I lived and grew up in Poco, but I didn't know her then. I met her in the 1980's, when I still made trips there to a few shops I liked (all gone now).

With her house but unpleasant domestic situation, perhaps it was no surprise that Grannie was a bag lady. She went on the 160 bus to Vancouver's skid row, and was well known there, sometimes as somebody helping out, and sometimes as one of the homeless, which she was in her own way.

Opinions about her varied in Poco. When she died, Denny Boyd, a well-known columnist with the Vancouver Sun, devoted his column to her.

There is now Granny Smith Park at the site of her house in downtown Poco.

The train station

I bought a train ticket to Seattle today. I have fond memories of the last time I rode Amtrak - in 1985 from Washington, DC to NYC and back. That was a fateful experience which I'll tell elsewhere but still buying that ticket made me want to see Vancouver's rail station even though it was mostly closed.

I'm getting older and clinging to old memories. A meaningless trek to Seattle -- I have no earthly reason to go to Seattle -- well there is some business but I hate that stuff -- but it still reminds me of the meaningful trek to NYC in 1985 -- 22 years ago now.

Interlocutors

It's been my custom for a long time to read before bed. But the things I've been reading haven't encouraged sleep. So think I'll try the Bible.

My old friend David liked the "minor prophets". I'm not sure if Lamentations qualifies, but it's the right place for me to start, being quite sad lately.

Lamentations has only 5 Chapters. I hope to give blog entries on
each.

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!
How like a widow is she,
who once was great among the nations!
Show who was queen among the provinces
has now become a slave

The decline of an empire, the American empire, this I can accept, but this seems to foretell worse than decline. Anyway, this is a personal blog. My own decline in strength is the reason for reading Lamentations.

Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are upon her cheeks
Among all her lovers there is none to comfort her,
All her friends have betrayed here, they have become her enemies

After affliction and harsh labor, Judah has gone into exile.
She dwells amongst the nations; she finds no resting place.
All who pursue her have overtaken her in the midst of her distress

The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts
All her gateways are desolate, her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she is in bitter anguish