Art In Dark Alleyways (Part 2).
I skipped class today Wednesday, June 7th, 2006. I had to finish up some assignments that are already late. Eek! This class is really coming close to an end. I really got to get a hold of things. Anyways on to part two.
Gertis is really packed for a Tuesday night surprisingly. Aside from maybe one booth that has a high turnover rate, the rest of the place is filled up. We sit on the stools and order some drinks. I get my usual pint of Murphy’s while Jay and Jordan both get a Long Island Ice Tea. The cute barmaid puts my drink down and looks at the glass for a second and takes it back. “Oops! That ain’t a Murphy’s! Sorry about that.” She dumps the unknown contents into a drain. In my head I picture myself reacting as if to save the beer from such a dishonourable demise. Instead I sat there quite baffled at what just took place. She eventually returns with my drink and we all noticed that one of the spots on the patio outside was available. We picked up our glasses and pounced on it quickly. The tables outside are square, high and made from a cross-woven black metal. The outside atmosphere was alive with strange characters walking past us, people enjoying their stay at a café patio beside us, and of course a bunch of people like us having conversation while drinking.
“Here, let me take a picture, pretend you’re having a normal conversation.” I said while picking up the digital camera off the table.
Jordan looked at Jay with his usual smirking face and Jay striked up what would be their normal conversation:
“So Iraq, weapons of mass destruction eh?”
“Yeah-” Jordan started and they both started laughing. I eventually got a good picture out of this tomfoolery.
As we continue conversation these two girls walk by dressed all in black. Black tank tops, black mini skits and stockings past the knees. Some with black hair, some with blonde and of course your classic dude with them also dressed as a Goth. Jay inquired about what is going on tonight and I speculated that it could be a fetish night that the bars around Peterborough have once in a while. Jordan was right on the money however by noting that today was June 6th, 2006… which is the opening date for the movie The Omen, and a supposed devil’s night cause of the number significance. I tried to take their picture but the crowd on the patio seemed to get in the way.
We finished our drinks and I told them that they gotta try out the pizza at Night Kitchen. Jordan is an avid reader of this blog and has read countless times of my trips to the pizzeria. We both order my favourite spinach, feta cheese and leek pizza. Jay doesn’t order a slice because he isn’t hungry. “This is the only time in your life that you’ll be able to have this pizza though!” I exclaim. “This is no Pizza Hut type thing man!” Despite my pleas he stands on his decision, so we move on and walk around downtown scarfing our pizza. Throughout the walk I point out places to the guys and funny events that have happened. Like the phone booth that I received the mysterious request, the Double Double pizzeria which was Aiden’s favourite place to go, Hot Belly Mamas, and so forth. I ask if they want to stop in any other bars but they tell me that they are just interested in walking.
I show them the enterance way to the Junction, which is pretty much the place to go on a Saturday night. I begged Jordan and Nelson to come to the dance club one Saturday. Nelson was the only one to take me up on that offer. We circle round to Water Street where I show them more spots along the downtown core. When we get to Hunter Street I tell them that they have to go to Sapphire Lounge. They tried to get out of it but I wasn’t going to give in this time. We walk in and sit at one of the tables; I walk up to the bar and order a dark rum and coke, and a long island for Jordan. Jay is driving back home soon, so I don’t get an alcoholic drink for him. I offer him a coke when I sit back down but he declines and eventually gets some water.
As we sit there laughing about inside jokes, we take notice to the set up at the front of the bar. Two turntables are set up with milk crates full of vinyl records. They start to play really awesome tracks too. I notice that JR is up there too bobbing around to the music. He is the owner of the Bluestreak record store on George and probably the best DJ in Peterborough. He walks by our table and I nod in his direction. “Hey man thanks for coming out tonight!” He yells. He is drunk again, but at least he noticed me. We shake hands. Brian Costello walked in the bar too and we said “Hey” to each other too and did the handshake. “The Ice Tea at Gertis was better, it had a sort of tang to it. This is alright, but ya, that tang.” Jordan said, analyzing his drink.
“Oh really? I thought it would be better mixed here because this is a cocktail bar. Hmm.” I responded in thought. Oh well, maybe they have declined over the years.
After finishing our drinks and enjoying the music a bit more we walked back to my place at Peter Robertson Place. Across the street however we took note to a dark alleyway, the road entering it looked like cobblestone, and on the brick walls you could read faint graffiti and other markings from vandals and young people of days past. At the end of the alley was an even darker scene of a scantly darkly light parking lot with shady cars and dumpsters. Jordan entered halfway to use the wall as a washroom. When we got back they gathered their things and got in the car to head back home.
“See ya guys, thanks for coming.” I said.
“Yeah man, see you soon.” Jay responded. As they pull out the driveway to George Street I rush to meet them on the other side by running. Sure enough we meet on the street and they are stopped at the red light to turn left. I picked up a pinecone and underhand tossed it towards Jordan’s window but missed and it lightly bounced off the top of the frame. Jordan snaps photos of me. With my camera! They turn left but are met with another red light and so I went on the middle of the road running towards their car screaming and Jordan leans out to take more photos of me. With my camera! We all laugh as I just reached their car when they pulled away due to a green light. I walked back to the sidewalk and got a pizza slice at 241 Pizza.
It was delicious.
Gertis is really packed for a Tuesday night surprisingly. Aside from maybe one booth that has a high turnover rate, the rest of the place is filled up. We sit on the stools and order some drinks. I get my usual pint of Murphy’s while Jay and Jordan both get a Long Island Ice Tea. The cute barmaid puts my drink down and looks at the glass for a second and takes it back. “Oops! That ain’t a Murphy’s! Sorry about that.” She dumps the unknown contents into a drain. In my head I picture myself reacting as if to save the beer from such a dishonourable demise. Instead I sat there quite baffled at what just took place. She eventually returns with my drink and we all noticed that one of the spots on the patio outside was available. We picked up our glasses and pounced on it quickly. The tables outside are square, high and made from a cross-woven black metal. The outside atmosphere was alive with strange characters walking past us, people enjoying their stay at a café patio beside us, and of course a bunch of people like us having conversation while drinking.
“Here, let me take a picture, pretend you’re having a normal conversation.” I said while picking up the digital camera off the table.
Jordan looked at Jay with his usual smirking face and Jay striked up what would be their normal conversation:
“So Iraq, weapons of mass destruction eh?”
“Yeah-” Jordan started and they both started laughing. I eventually got a good picture out of this tomfoolery.
As we continue conversation these two girls walk by dressed all in black. Black tank tops, black mini skits and stockings past the knees. Some with black hair, some with blonde and of course your classic dude with them also dressed as a Goth. Jay inquired about what is going on tonight and I speculated that it could be a fetish night that the bars around Peterborough have once in a while. Jordan was right on the money however by noting that today was June 6th, 2006… which is the opening date for the movie The Omen, and a supposed devil’s night cause of the number significance. I tried to take their picture but the crowd on the patio seemed to get in the way.
We finished our drinks and I told them that they gotta try out the pizza at Night Kitchen. Jordan is an avid reader of this blog and has read countless times of my trips to the pizzeria. We both order my favourite spinach, feta cheese and leek pizza. Jay doesn’t order a slice because he isn’t hungry. “This is the only time in your life that you’ll be able to have this pizza though!” I exclaim. “This is no Pizza Hut type thing man!” Despite my pleas he stands on his decision, so we move on and walk around downtown scarfing our pizza. Throughout the walk I point out places to the guys and funny events that have happened. Like the phone booth that I received the mysterious request, the Double Double pizzeria which was Aiden’s favourite place to go, Hot Belly Mamas, and so forth. I ask if they want to stop in any other bars but they tell me that they are just interested in walking.
I show them the enterance way to the Junction, which is pretty much the place to go on a Saturday night. I begged Jordan and Nelson to come to the dance club one Saturday. Nelson was the only one to take me up on that offer. We circle round to Water Street where I show them more spots along the downtown core. When we get to Hunter Street I tell them that they have to go to Sapphire Lounge. They tried to get out of it but I wasn’t going to give in this time. We walk in and sit at one of the tables; I walk up to the bar and order a dark rum and coke, and a long island for Jordan. Jay is driving back home soon, so I don’t get an alcoholic drink for him. I offer him a coke when I sit back down but he declines and eventually gets some water.
As we sit there laughing about inside jokes, we take notice to the set up at the front of the bar. Two turntables are set up with milk crates full of vinyl records. They start to play really awesome tracks too. I notice that JR is up there too bobbing around to the music. He is the owner of the Bluestreak record store on George and probably the best DJ in Peterborough. He walks by our table and I nod in his direction. “Hey man thanks for coming out tonight!” He yells. He is drunk again, but at least he noticed me. We shake hands. Brian Costello walked in the bar too and we said “Hey” to each other too and did the handshake. “The Ice Tea at Gertis was better, it had a sort of tang to it. This is alright, but ya, that tang.” Jordan said, analyzing his drink.
“Oh really? I thought it would be better mixed here because this is a cocktail bar. Hmm.” I responded in thought. Oh well, maybe they have declined over the years.
After finishing our drinks and enjoying the music a bit more we walked back to my place at Peter Robertson Place. Across the street however we took note to a dark alleyway, the road entering it looked like cobblestone, and on the brick walls you could read faint graffiti and other markings from vandals and young people of days past. At the end of the alley was an even darker scene of a scantly darkly light parking lot with shady cars and dumpsters. Jordan entered halfway to use the wall as a washroom. When we got back they gathered their things and got in the car to head back home.
“See ya guys, thanks for coming.” I said.
“Yeah man, see you soon.” Jay responded. As they pull out the driveway to George Street I rush to meet them on the other side by running. Sure enough we meet on the street and they are stopped at the red light to turn left. I picked up a pinecone and underhand tossed it towards Jordan’s window but missed and it lightly bounced off the top of the frame. Jordan snaps photos of me. With my camera! They turn left but are met with another red light and so I went on the middle of the road running towards their car screaming and Jordan leans out to take more photos of me. With my camera! We all laugh as I just reached their car when they pulled away due to a green light. I walked back to the sidewalk and got a pizza slice at 241 Pizza.
It was delicious.
posted by lionzub at 11:42 PM
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