Hello everyone,
I’ve been thinking back to Tony’s experience of Christmas. I don’t remember Tony being hungry as Christmas Eve would set in. Far from it. Many individuals, restaurants, cafes and other shops were always generous. But he often had nowhere to go. And so he’d end up gathering together with other street people who also had nowhere else to go. Later, he’d might sit on the steps of Margi’s Pharmacy at the corner of Roncesvalles and Howard Park, waiting for the sun to come up or perhaps waiting for it to set.

PHILIP
“So how are you liking global warming so far?”

TONY
“I don’t think it’s been this nice on the first day of winter since [insert distant year].”

PHILIP
“Do you think it’s getting warmer, generally speaking?”

TONY
“Sometimes, but it depends on the weather, if y0u know what I mean.” [I think Tony would flash his excellent smile at this point.]

PHILIP
How come your Elmo doll is so important to you? I think he’s almost the only thing you own except your clothes, no offense.

TONY
“Well seeing kids smile makes me smile and Elmo makes the kids smile. So it all works out.”

PHILIP
“So do you actually identify with Elmo in any way?”

TONY
“Phil, I think only someone who had a dad and granddad who were shrinks could ask me that question.”

(The photo is from our post of Nov. 1 2010.)

TONY
“Didn’t your mother teach you to excuse yourself when you burped and there were other folks there?”

PHILIP
“Maybe, what’s it to you?”

TONY
“Just checking. “

PHILIP
“All right, she did.”

TONY
“So … “

PHILIP
“So, excuuuse me.”

TONY
“Now that’s better.”

PHILIP
“Can we not discuss this anymore?”

TONY
“C’mon Phil, I’m just trying to help you with your manners.”

PHILIP
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Clemens.”

I had this discussion with Tony earlier this year:

PHILIP
“If you could do any job in the world, what would you want to do?”

TONY
“Oh that’s easy, I’d be a limo driver.”

PHILIP
“But you were a limo driver, weren’t you?”

TONY
“Well, my life wasn’t always this bad, you know.”

PHILIP
“What do you remember about being a kid?”

TONY
“I was a fun kid, you know. I had friends and I had a good lot of them. Things were different then.”

PHILIP
“You’ve still got lots of friends …”

TONY
“Well maybe I have lots of friends now but its different when you’re a kid, you know. You can just have fun. Nowerdays when your a grownup, people need your help, and mostly I can’t give them what they want but at least I can smile and tell them ‘hello’ or ‘have a nice day’ or something. That perks people up, most of them anyways.”

TONY
“I wish I’d taken better care of my teeth back then when I had a chance. That’s something you just can’t get back, ever.”

This snippet is from March 2009:

PHILIP
“What job would you want to do if you could choose anything?”

TONY
“That’s a fireman.”

PHILIP
“A fireman?  Why’s that?”

TONY
“It just feels good to rescue someone. And you know that those ladies love their firemen. That’s gotta be the best part, if you know what I mean.”

This conversation happened around the time I learned of Tony’s limo-driving past:

PHILIP
“You were saying before what happened when you got your limo stuck in the snow. Did you have any passengers?

TONY
“Yup I sure did. She was an important one but I didn’t ever figure out who she really was. Anyway, she was out in the  flash of a dog’s tail, and helped us push the car out. And she was a strong one but she destroyied her nice shoes. And then we laughed about it whe I drove her to the hotel. Now that was fun. She was great.”

TONY
“Hey Phil, you know what’s mind-blowing?  It’s just that I know so many secrets from people –  it would blow your mind.”

PHILIP
“What brought that up?”

TONY
“The lady there, she just told me a story when she was young. I’ll bet you she’s never told one person until today. I don’t even know why she keeps it secret. Like my friend used to say, it wouldn’t bother my maiden aunt, what she said if you ask me.”

PHILIP
“Why did she tell you about it?”

TONY
“Sometimes you’ve  just gotta tell someone something, that’s all.”

PHILIP
“Does that mean that you’re about to tell me a secret too?”

TONY
“Not on the blog I won’t. My secrets are staying right here with me, if you know what I mean.”

This exchange is from sometime before Christmas, though I don’t know which year. The Arthur Rachman painting above reminds me of one of the most unbelievable of Tony’s many unbelievable experiences:

PHILIP
“Is there anything you don’t especially like about Christmas?”

TONY
“Well there’s one thing, when rich people should be helping poor people more like the good Lord told us. There’s something wrong with being a Scrooge, especially when you’re talking about single mothers and their kids. You gotta help if you can, if you know what I mean.”

Hello all,
I’ve got so many notes from the many conversations we had over the years. Especially as the blog has attracted a much larger following in the last four weeks, I will write them down properly and post them. Here’s one:

TONY
“You know where I want to go to end my old age?”

PHILIP
“Where? Why are you thinking that?”

TONY
“Don’t tell me that you don’t think about it yourself. Anyway, I’m keeling over when I’m near the ocean if I can and I’ve never seen the ocean in my whole life. So that’s my way to go if you want my opinion.”

It’s likely that Tony had spoken to Jenna from time to time. And he would have been shocked to know she’s gone. That she was mother to a five-year old and was expecting another child would have particularly upset him. Rest in peace, Jenna Morrison.

Over the years, Tony faced danger near the Sterling-Dundas intersection where Jenna died. Here’s two instances:

http://homelessmanspeaks.com/2007/06/12/the-good-samaritan
http://homelessmanspeaks.com/2009/06/25/that-road-not-taken

Here’s two close-up photos of the memorial shown in the post of Nov 2, 2011. Note the many exquisite details, esp the amazing wireframe chair. Who made this?!

We’ve raised $1,300 and still counting!  Thank you to all. If you would like to participate, you’re invited to leave a donation at the counter at Alternative Grounds, Another Story and Mabel’s Bakery.

The photo is from our posting of Oct 25, 2007. The wreath and candles were placed anonomously in memory of Silvio, a homeless man who was beaten up and left to die nearby.

Photos by Kelvin Soh: Oct 29 in Dufferin Grove Park.

If anyone knows who created this stunning objet d’art, please let me know in the comments section. Thanks.

Over the last five years, Tony and I spoke many times about Halloween; three instances found their way into the blog.  He once told me that Halloween was the perfect holiday for kids because “they aren’t forced to go to church for that one”.

I couldn’t not post this cartoon, Tony having looked forward to heaven for so long. If he’s checking our blog from his remote location, I expect the cartoon has set him laughing  — to the point of happy tears, I hope.   

Until Saturday, the TD Canada Trust branch (one block south of Howard Park Ave) is accepting donations. If we end up with more money than we require for the bench,  the surplus will be used in a fashion acceptable to Tony’s family and to the volunteers involved in the ongoing commemorative effort. [Ed Lamb is in charge of donations; if you want his contact information, please email me at philipATsternthinking.com.

The photo above is from our posting of Aug 20, 2007.

Tony’s obituary from today’s Toronto Star.

Funeral Details: The reception will be held tomorrow at the  Turner & Porter Funeral Home, 436 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto (at Howard Park Ave.), from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 263 Roncesvalles Ave. (at High Park Blvd), Toronto, on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 11am.

(The  photo above is from our post of June 23, 2009.)

Philip