Christmas Eve I sat in front of the television and wrapped my presents. IFC was showing Six Degrees of Separation (the film based on the wonderful John Guare play) so I watched that while I tied fancy bows on the first few gifts and as I jammed the last few into gift bags. Isn't that always the way? Anyway, I love that movie. Adore the cast, the sparkling dialogue. Couldn't stop thinking of one particular scene two days later, just after the Boxing Day shootings on Yonge Street here in Toronto.
Kitty and Larkin played by Mary Beth Hurt and Bruce Davidson are detailing the events of a young man's suicide and are beside themselves because when he jumped he could have "landed on them" since they were in the vicinity at the time. It's a beautiful example of middle-upper class self centeredness.
December 26th I was at the Eaton Centre doing some bargain hunting and *almost* went to the HMV on Yonge Street, directly across the street from where the shootings took place...at the exact time of the shootings. It's scary to think of the potential consequences, but the reality is...SO WHAT? In a city as populated as ours to make an event like this about myself...even in my own mind....well, eeeeww. Just....eeeeewww.
The truth is, I don't feel like I've lost my innocence even though the local media keeps telling me I did. I don't think we were ever as innocent as they would have us believe. I never believed in Santa Claus as a little girl either. I liked the idea of Santa, for sure. I perpetrated the myth because, hey, it's a NICE idea. Just like the thought that Toronto was "good" and "innocent" and that these shootings have changed us forever.
Yes Virginia, five people got shot in the middle of our city the day after Christmas. An innocent girl was killed. Horrific, appalling and frightening as that is, it should not surprise any of us. We would have to have been blind to not see this tragedy coming.
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