Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could leave this godforsaken hopeless island and either sink it or nuke it behind me, depending on the day. The truth is, I would never actually consider doing that, I’m frustrated to hell with this city but I know if I leave it for anything longer than a month or so, I’ll miss it terribly and end up coming back.
There is so much that goes on around me, I’m overwhelmed all the time. Everyone pulls shenanigans, from the idiot who jaywalks without even looking out for traffic to the Cyclist who thinks they own the whole damned road, to the construction/obstruction crews who take whole seasons to do half a week’s work and do it so badly that it needs to be done again very shortly afterwards.
Something to miss: Montreal bagels
Economically, Montreal is not in a good way. For someone who’s French really isn’t very good, it’s very difficult to make and maintain stable work and even harder to find decent pay. Of course, the cost of living in Montreal is a bit cheaper than other major cities in North America.
To answer the Question an anonymous reader asked last week, the answer is yes, I am an idiot. I must be one since I feel so attached to the city I was born in. To quote the Bowser & Blue song, I’m here because I’m not all there. After all, the largest English mental institution left in North America is in Montreal. There is of course a corresponding French institution of similar size. There is a cross on the mountain. It’s in between the pitchforks. This is a city of devils indeed.
In some ways I can relate to those complainers in cartoons who, once freed from their annoyances, miss their foils so badly that they can’t help but act like them, usually causing the same annoyances in others and invariably going back to their situations so more comedy/action/irritation can go on. Without people like me, the world wouldn’t be as fun a place as it is, simply because if nobody whines and complains, nobody tries as hard. If that makes any sense at all.
What can I say. I hate this city because I love it. I live in it, I breathe it, I eat it, I sleep it, I dream it. Because even if I could leave, I’d miss the smoked meat, the bagels, the poutine, the steamies and all the other foods that make living in Montreal feel like home.
Face it, as annoyed as I am with Montreal and wherever I may roam, Montreal will always be home.
Oh yum. The bagels are good. I don’t think Montreal is as backwards as other Canadian cities. I like the fact that in Montreal, when something is really wrong, the people usually get together and actually do something about it.