So, Remembrance Day was last Saturday. Canadians in general, I've discovered, take Remembrance Day really seriously. For about two weeks prior to it, people stand around the exit of pretty much any building, and when you donate money, you get a little pin that's a felt poppy, and then you wear this pin for the next two weeks. If you don't get a pin, well then you're a really horrible person. So eeeeeveryone is wearing these pins, and posters are up everywhere. Even fast food signs that normally say "Toonie Tuesdays" or "2 Mama Burgers for $6," almost all say, "Lest we forget," and, "We remember." There are some really beautiful posters they've created using teh little felt poppies and stuff, but I couldn't find them. I'll include a less cool poster, though.So, last Saturday also happened to be the day that Tim's parents stopped by on their way to Cape Breton. They arrived around 10:30, and we all went to Tim Horton's to get some breakfast, since it was one of the only places open on Saturday. Tim's mom is, how shall I say, sort of like a milder version of Mrs. Bennet when it comes to the strength of her opinions. So, Tim's mom and dad were sitting at a table in the corner of the restaurant, when Tim and I got up to get some TimBits. Thus, we were standing in line when the manager of the restaurant came out, and said that he would like to take two minutes of silence to honor the fallen soldiers. Only the whole place was so noisy, and he spoke so quietly, that only a few people heard him. So that thing happened where gradually everyone notices that other people are being quiet until everyone is, eventually, quiet. Except for two people. Tim's mom, and this other guy in the corner. Later on, we found out that Tim's dad was just sitting quietly, not responding to her, 'cause he knew what we going on, while she was saying, "Why aren't you responding to me?? Eric?! Why won't you reply??"
But she realized, and eventually we heard the other guy's buddy shush him, and all this time, some bagpipes playing Amazing Grace happen to have been playing for this extreeeemely long time down the street, but in easy hearing distance. All of this combined, led me to the Giggle Loop. Yes, all of you Coupling fans out there, the Giggle Loop. At least it wasn't a funeral, but it might as well have been. All I ended up doing was smiling, though. Thank goodness.An example of the ferocity of Canadians' feelings towards Remembrance Day: Before that whole amusing Tim Horton's debacle, Tim's mom had realized that they were going to be guests at a person's house, and weren't bringing anything with them, so she wanted to go get a bottle of wine as a present, but knew that the liquor store was closed. So she asked the man next to her, "Excuse me, is *everything* closed today?" "Yeah, today's Remembrance Day. Where are you from?" "Oh, we're from New Brunswick." "Well, it's a statutory holiday now! And about time." Hmm, that doesn't convey the mean, harshness of his town. The way he said, as if everyone knew it (which
she did) that today was Remembrance Day, and the way he sort of looked down on her when he asked where she was from, and it was like he was lecturing (in a shouting sort of way) that it's about time that it was a holiday. So...that was interesting. I felt bad for Tim's mom there.After breakfast, as we were heading back to the house, we had to take a weird route, 'cause the entiiiire town center was filled with people for the memorial service. I never even knew that Antigonish had so many people in it. I now believe that around 4,000 people live here, because I've seen it with my own eyes. Oh, and yes, I was extremely guilt-tripped that I wasn't there. I am a bad person. :-P
Check out this cool Remembrance Day quarter. Sweet, eh? One example of a felt poppy, above, on someone's cords.
So, the long and the short of this post: Sure, lots of countries have Remembrance Day, but Canada is scary serious about it. Which is good!
