The word from the street
PHILIP
“Sharon [Tony's sister] put a comment on the blog that she wanted to know what was happening since we hadn’t updated it in a while, which is true. I guess you could call it a slow news day, sort of.”
TONY
“Well, you can tell her that my ticker’s fine and my lungs are OK but my kidneys are putting up a good fuss today. And you can tell her I miss her too.”
PHILIP
“I’ll post it as soon as I get home.”
TONY
“You’re looking something happy. Did you get lucky or something?”
PHILIP
“Very funny. Wait until my wife reads this.”
TONY
“OK. So now I get to ask you for once: ‘What’s up with you with that big smile?’”
PHILIP
“Ignatieff made a big decision. He’s doing what he’s gotta do.”
TONY
“You mean the Prime Minister?”
PHILIP
“Well, he’s not the Prime Minister, not yet, anyways. But he’s got Peter Donolo on his team now. You know what’s cool? Peter’s a Montrealer, just like me. And he just turned 50, just like me.”
TONY
“So, do you know the guy? “
PHILIP
“No. We went to different schools. Anyway, things are looking up for the Grits and that makes me happy. That’s all.”
TONY
“OK. Good for you. Are you going calm down now?”
PHILIP
“OK. But just give me some slack, OK. “
TONY
“OK. But can you buy me a coffee?”
PHILIP
“OK.”
TONY
“You hear about the old guy who got jumped down Ronces earlier?”
PHILIP
“What happened?”
TONY
“I don’t know but next thing you know, there’s six cop cars right there. You can say what you want about our cops but they sure can do their job when they need to.”
TONY
“Did you hear? I’ve got to move next week.”
PHILIP
“What do you mean? Where?”
TONY
“The pizza guys sold the the business.”
PHILIP
“So?”
TONY
“So I’ve gotta move. The new guys don’t want me here.”
PHILIP
“So where will you go?”
TONY
“I guess we’ll see.”
No sign of Tony as I take my seat at Alternative Grounds on a vaguely cloudy Tuesday morning. He wasn’t here yesterday either. Hmmm.
Philip
TONY
“You know how much I have to pay for all these drugs I’m supposed to be taking?”
PHILIP
“No idea.”
TONY
“Just guess.”
PHILIP
“OK. $200 bucks. A month. Am I close?”
TONY
“$268.13.”
PHILIP
“Wow.”
TONY
“You got that right. Thank God for OHIP, like I always say, if you know what I mean.”
Tony was sprung — so to say — yesterday. He’s back at his old location. His face has good colour (it’s autumn, after all). I bought him a coffee from Alternative Grounds and I gave him a toonie so he could buy a bagel from Mabel’s.
Philip
Tony’s heart is a thin beat away from not working at all. The cardiologists are doing everything they can. Thank god for socialized medicine. Tony says many, many thanks for all the good wishes and prayers.
If you visit Tony, he’ll “love you forever” if you bring him an extra-large McDonald’s chocolate shake. Of course, he’ll be happy to see you with — or without — the shake. 
Philip
Hi Everyone,
I just visited Tony at St. Joe’s. He’s got cancer, probably in the lungs, though it’s not certain if it’s in one lung or two — or even which lung. While I was there, the doctors took him for an x-ray, but I don’t know the results, — if any. In addition, he’s got heart problems, and an ugly hernia protruding from his upper abdomen. The three photos above is what he looked like at about 230pm today.
He seemed depressed and feared that they might release him.
Tony wants to thank Gwen and Cathy for coming to visit; the bananas were yummy.
More when I know.
Philip
Hi All,
I found him. Tony is in the hospital (again). He checked himself into St. Joseph’s Hospital yesterday after trying, unsuccessfully, to check himself in the day before through the emergency ward, and getting himself sent “home” at the end of the day — a bit ironic if you ask me.
He’s on the 4th floor, Room #4M16. If you’d like to visit him, he’d be delighted. I will try to see him over the weekend. Any ready-to-eat food you can bring him (only stuff that is easily chewable) will be very much appreciated, as his appetite is well beyond what hospital meal portions can fulfill.
Before you visit, check the hospital visiting times and associated regulations at stjoe.on.ca/patients/visitor/index.php.
Philip
Hi All,
No more news. I checked for Tony this morning. Here’s the photograph of Tony’s stuff, locked up, in front of Cosa Pizza on Roncesvalles. I took the photo from above.
Philip
Hi Everyone,
Tony is nowhere to be found. The police officer patrolling the construction area near Tony’s usual spot hasn’t seen him, and he’s not in the hospital (per my earlier post). Is there anyone who has seen him recently?
Philip
Hi All,
As of this morning, Tony hadn’t checked himself back into the hospital. I will check in front of Mabel’s later this morning. I don’t know what else to do.
Philip
Hi Everyone,
It’s 10am and Tony’s nowhere to be found — at least not on Roncesvallles. I have no idea where he slept and he hasn”t called me. [Sometimes he doesn't call simply because he doesn't have the change.] I’m not worried about him — yet. The weather’s fine so I expect I’ll see him later.
Philip
Hi All,
Indeed, Tony is back on the street: “I just kinda freaked out and got out of that hospital. I’ll go back ’cause I have to, you know, my heart problems. But I just had to get out of there. The doc said I’ll have to start in Emerge[ncy] again but I just had to get out. I know I’m nuts but that’s what happens when you live on the street.”
Philip
[Photo taken at 930am this morning]
Hi All,
As Rose, Tony’s sister, said in her comment under the previous post, Tony has left the hospital. While I haven’t yet seen him, he’s taken up his regular place in front of Mabel’s Bakery — his stuff is out but he isn’t there. I hope this means he feels better, although he’s left his doctor frustrated for sure with his unannounced disappearance. I’ll say more when I see him, which should be soon.
Philip
Hi All,
Indeed, Tony has been outside the hospital for a few hours at time, with the permission of his doctor. Since his feet and legs are swollen, his shoes — and even his socks — don’t fit. Hence the bare feet. I visited with him yesterday and the swelling seems to be receding , so he hopes that he may fit into something today. (He’s normally a 13 size shoe and he figured he’d need a 16EEE to fit his feet when they were at their worst.) So, even with bare feet, he’s quite clear-headed, as far as he ever is, anyway.
Why he doesn’t, at least, wrap his feet in bandages is beyond me — I certainly suggested that he do so.
Medically, his problems seem to be circulatory. His lungs are being drained of fluid regularly, and the volumes of fluid are notably large.Thankfully, he does not appear to have tuberculosis, which had been a possible diagnosis.
His breathing is better and he tells me that he might even be at his perch on Ronces for at least a short while this afternoon. All in all, he’s tough as hell.
Philip
