Bird’s Eye.
It’s quiet. Just like I remember it. Tough to get over the eery part though. We’re so used to the valley full of tourists. Second home owners coming out to their big homes, investments they say. Or cabins; now that’s a joke.
Bruce Street. Downtown Invermere, BC Canada.
Do I miss them? My job for the last few years depends on them. Still, to see the downtown deserted, it’s like turning back time. I can see my brother and I running through those streets jumping and touching the swinging signs, falling off bicycles, busted for smoking pot that couldn’t get an astronaut high. Drinking was our thing. It delivered.
Maurice’s Food Basket. Mom would have drove through the front window, if it weren’t for a telephone pole right out front. My best friend, a couple years older than me, lived up top. He busted me open with a two-by-four. I just about cut his head off when I threw an old licence plate at him. I quit hanging around with him when he reached puberty. He wanted me to play with his cock. He said, pretend it’s a gear shift. I knew he wasn’t going to pretend he was a car.
After this is over, are we going to go back to the way things were? Getting on planes? Pretending we are explorers in foreign countries that see us as tourists. Are we going to burn gasoline tearing up the backcountry? Going where we figure. Are the art shops going to make a living selling egg carton caterpillars?
The Mercantile. Lisa and I used to pick out our school clothes without our parents present. All we had to do was sign for them. Our parents would settle it later.
It’s no different now then then. We don’t now what we are fighting for or against. Hopefully history spares our town.
The Toby Theatre and Cenotaph. Who has grown up here and not taken a drink or smoked a joint at the Cenotaph, it’s a right of passage, goddammit! And the Toby where I watched whatever was showing, everything from True Grit to Linda Lovelace for President. I even threw up on the floor, in the lobby, when my brother gave me too many Bugles. I can still remember how good it felt eating them and how bad the aftermath looked. I’m still not sure who had to clean that up.
Palliser Pass 
Jim R
That looks like a lot of towns and cities. The only place where there are many people is the grocery. For our last shopping trip, we ordered online, drove to the curb at the store where our cartful was brought to us. I hope whoever shopped for us was ‘clean’ of the virus.
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underswansea
Hi Jim, I hope you and Melanie are staying safe. That’s a good idea to order online. One of the challenges here is trying to get the tourists and second home owners to stay in Calgary. Our hospital is equipped to serve about 6000 full time residents at the best of times. The population in the Valley can balloon to 40,000 on an Easter weekend. Many are wealthy and are not taking the ‘Stay Home’ suggestion kindly. Weird times! Take care. Bob
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Jim R
We are staying put. You two do the same. Our governor still has not issued a stay home command. She is one of 5 not doing it. wtf!
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mountaincoward
I’m quite liking it dead and quiet – but then I always was a complete loner…
Your ex-mate – how scary! Bit like a mate I had. He was ‘gay’ and had several boyfriends. I used to hang around at his house in the wee small hours and we’d listen to music. One night, he decided he wasn’t ‘gay’ after all… I had to run like hell! LOL
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underswansea
Hi Carol, my kids joke that I’ve been social distancing my whole life. Sounds like you turned your friend straight. Take care.
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mountaincoward
I did – the next thing he was married and having kids!
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Julie@frogpondfarm
Your town looks amazing Bob! I’m liking it quiet too – but then I guess that’s why I live in the country. Great shots B …
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underswansea
Hi Julie. Yes I also like it quiet. My kids joke that I have been social distancing my entire life. Take care.
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