Flimzo's

KZ: Sorry for the massive delay.

SoooooOOOOOoooo, little bit of an ongoing saga just came to an end. It all started last weekend when I was in Wat town trying to pick up some gift certificates from Quizno's. They had a sign up and everything, that indeed they were selling g.c's. So KZ and I went into the store and asked for somma deez. Next thing I know Quizno's employee #1 is on the phone trying to reach "someone who knows how to do the gift certificates." There was also one other employee in the store with her. She appears from the back a few moments later, phone in tow (proof that she was actually attempting to reach someone), telling me she couldn't reach anyone and can't help me out. Dang. But whatever sister.

Get back to Toronto next day. Try to check out Quizno's at Richie and Spadine. Go in there, ask for some certs. Lady tells me they got 'em, but actually two minutes later they actually don't, and only have ONE $5 dealie left. Grrrr!!!! Come on people. I was just about ready to give up here.

Go back next day on my lunch ('cause they told me they'd have some more "tomorrow morning." This time I called beforehand too, just to cover my bases.) Arrive at Q-no's, get the goods, meander my way out (not without nabbing a 10 Vegetable salad from Lettuce Eatery on my way back to work).

Then, I find myself waiting for the Spadinal streetcar. Sometimes this car can be a bitch... but it ain't the only one! Waiting there in the middle of Spadine, with a few other brazen souls, when who should approach the median, yelling - no less - but Raul: Macho Commander. This dude was IN-SANE... UNsane. The only way I knew that it was Raul: Macho Commander, was by the hand-stitched full length poncho he was wearing, draped on top of his winter coat. This man disgusted me, along with about 10 other people waiting at the stop. A dude was even snapping pics with his phone. Raul had in tow a large hard top suitcase that had handwritten notes plastered all over it, one of which read, "Professional Procurator. High legal experience." There were more notes on the other side of the case detailing the services he provides, which I couldn't make out. The front of his poncho said "Latino America Commander." As if this get-up weren't enough, Raul was pacing the street, repeating the same phrases and gestures over and over again. Something something something in Spanish, with some gesturing originating from the crotchal region of his body and then a hearty laugh at the end of each repetition. He was yelling this at people far and wide. But, he didn't even seem to be that crazy.

My words don't even do this experience justice. I should have gotten the whole thing on video.

In many ways this incident was totally weird and insane and I wish people were there to have experienced it with me. But at the very same time, this was probably one of the more normal weird things that generally happen in the downtown vicin of Toronto.