Month: July 2023

Many years ago my boyfriend and I were not very well off, to say the least, and we took advantage of coupons and sales, and always had an eye out for free things to do.

We got a coupon from a Mexican restaurant, buy one meal at $10.99 get a second at $5.99.

Now for us to go and have a sit down meal, in a real restaurant, with servers and table cloths and candlelight, this was really a rare treat.

Neither one of us drank alcohol and we could just afford $20 for a meal, so we might have dessert and share it.

We got exceptional service and food and had the most wonderful romantic evening.

Then the coupons started arriving more frequently. Every month it seemed, so we took advantage of that.

We became regulars at this place. The owner came out and talked to us every time. Introduced us to his chef and told us about himself and wanted to know about us. He knew we didn’t have much money. We felt like family.

But one evening, just after we had ordered, the owner came out and yelled at us. He berated us for always using a coupon, never ordering drinks and sharing a dessert. We were stunned and deeply embarrassed. My boyfriend challenged him, “Why do you keep sending us coupons then?” And he shouted that this is a business, not a charity and we were taking advantage of his good nature.

Needless to say, we never went back, and if anyone asked us about the place we would tell them not to go.

Yes, I do understand the owners point of view, and believe me, if we could have afforded more than their burrito platter we would have had it, and a dessert for each one of us (but never alcohol).

He could have made his point without losing us as customers. And he lost a lot of potential customers also.

It was my birthday.

To celebrate, I decided to repot a poor little plant I had. Some people I guess, get cake and a candle. I’m too practical.

I headed to Zellers and found a nice clay pot for $1.15.

I was fourth or fifth in line at the checkout, but the young clerk never took her eyes off me.

When I got to the cash, she cheerfully tells me I get 20% off because I’m a senior. It looked like some other customers were about to break into applause.

“It’s my birthday. I just became a senior today.” I mumbled, and thought, I’d be happy to just pay the $1.15 and get the heck out of there!

Nope, she insisted I get my 20% off and I slunk away.

It was my first senior discount. A rite of passage, I suppose. Not altogether very pleasant.

I saw a picture of the Empire State Building, once the tallest building I knew, way back when.

My brother gave Mom and I a trip to New York City, which is quite a shock from the no highrise city I grew up in.

It was a neck craning experience, always looking up!

We got a break and were able to look down, from the Empire State Building. It was exhilarating and unforgettable.

I have no desire to go any higher in any building than that in my life.

I was travelling back in time to the late 1970’s, when my then boyfriend and I, just barely 20 something, thought nothing of hopping in the car and driving to Indianapolis or Florida for an NHRA event. We just went. As did many of our hot rod friends.

I watched a video from a 1975 Indianapolis meet and besides making me nostalgic, I saw that my life was much simpler then, much, freer. You could just go. Hop in your car and head to the States. If they didn’t like you at the border, they simply turned you back.

Even in the 1980’s things were not so complicated. I filled out forms and paid money and I was enrolled in University. I showed up at a workplace, had a fifteen minute interview and was hired.

Movement was a lot freer. Perhaps it is just my rose coloured glasses again, but I think it was true.

Todays world is so terrifying. It was not so scary back in the 1970’s, at least, not for me.

In fact, it is only since trump came into power and the pandemic that life has dramatically changed and become so restrictive.

Well, at least I can remember when. With videos.