Leaving Winnipeg with 8 cartons of books in tow, The Kid, The Author, and yours truly, headed south of the 49th to the United States. Immediately it became apparent that we were now in a foreign country: the gas was cheaper, the money was all the same colour and there were lots of Stars and Stripes flying from flag poles.
Once again we had to keep the pedal to the metal in order to arrive at our next book signing stop at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame tomorrow, October 7, between 4 & 6 pm. We arrived safely at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton, just in front of the bus bearing the Blue Bombers who will be playing the Hamilton Ti-Cats tomorrow night. (We are going to the game.) I resisted the temptation to introduce the team to one of their former greats. I did not even shout out, "Go Bombers, Go." Perhaps that was because I was still somewhat in shock from TERRIFYING TOUR MOMENT #1: The Kid at the wheel of the Avalon negotiating the #2 Highway detour signs over bridges through downtown Duluth, Minnesota, lead footing it during rush hour. Or perhaps it was the after effects of the Calazone and red wine at Grandpa Tony's in Bay City, Michigan last night. For whatever reason, I displayed unusual decorum.
NOTABLE SITES MISSED as the Tour has pressed on:
#1. Margaret Laurence House in Neepawa, Manitoba; although we did meet a Christie Loganish kind of guy in the Dairy Queen there over the Incident with the Wasp.
When The Kid swatted a wasp with a folded Sports Section of the local paper, an elderly man with alternate teeth missing and his left arm in a sling man shouted to the Kid from a nearby booth: "You got him! I saw him drop."
The Kid bent down, picked up the wasp with the paper and replaced the paper on the shelf full of other newspapers. Christie got up and grabbed the newspaper. "You can't leave a dead wasp in a newspaper. It don't bother me but it might upset a lady, especially a pregnant lady. Some folks get really bothered by wasps, even dead ones, but not me. I can pick them up by the wing."
As Christie picked up the paper the wasp, which was only stunned, crawled onto the shelf. Christie swatted the wasp dead, picked it up by its wing and deposited it in the garbage can. "Good thing I checked on it."
The Kid rolled his eyes and said: "Yeah. Really good thing."
#2. Michael Moore's house in Flint. Michigan.
This was probably another good thing, since the Kid is not a fan of Michael's and since the site of Michael Moore's birthplace and childhood home is probably derelict or demolished. And, although Michael is rumoured to be once again resident in Flint, if there is a new Michael Moore house, he would be living in it and therefore, it is unlikely that it would be open to the public.
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