Legends

It’s a rainy,

slightly,

miserable morning,

the kind of morning,

you wan’t to,

pull the blankets,

over your head,

and,

cuddle your….

cat.

Alas,

this is not to be,

I have things to do,

people to see,

miles to go,

before I sleep

<wink>

I haven’t written much,

about books,

lately,

I’ve been reading,

a constant in my life, I read:-),

haven’t finished much,

been reading some,

dense non-fiction,

and,

that takes a little longer,

to get through,

than romance,

for instance,

I figure I’ll be slowly,

making my way through,

Alexander Berckman’s Prison Memoirs,

for a few weeks.

I have been re-reading,

Parnassus On Wheels,

and,

The Haunted Bookshop,

by Christopher Morley,

two delighful short novels,

about a used book seller.

I feel they are destined,

to become favourites,

like,

84 Charing Cross Road.

I read them last year,

had them taken out,

of storage,

at La Grande Bibliotheque.

wish I could find a nice hardbound, a vintage Modern Library size, but, all I find on the internet are cheap paperbacks, I like a small bound book, the library copy is just such an edition, Doubleday from the fifties.

Earlier in the week,

I read through,

Schwartz’s Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story.

 

Small book,

anecdotal history,

of a Montreal legend.

Schwartz’s,

there is no other place,

for smoked meat,

for those of you unfortunate enough to not know smoked meat, it is like Pastami, only a hundred times better!!! Moist, spicy, drip down your fingers goodness, served on rye bread with mustard and a sour kosher dill, pretty much…. heaven:-)

 

Schwartz’s is one of those,

great unifiers,

in the city,

it isn’t about,

French-English,

or politics,

and,

culture,

it is as important,

and,

mythical,

as the Canadiens,

everyone goes to,

or has gone,

to Schwartz’s,

a rite of passage.

The decor is non-exissatant,

the food,

amazing,

it hasn’t changed,

much,

in seventy-five years.

Bill Brownstein book,

tells about,

the characters,

who inhabit it,

both employees,

and,

customers.

It’s fun,

and,

informative,

for those of us,

interested,

in ‘small’ history.

Made me nostalgic.

I haven’t been to Schwartz’s,

since ’96,

went with my dad,

last time.

It was his idea,

and,

of course,

I paid,

that was dad,

great ideas,

no money:-)

He died,

less than a year later,

and,

I haven’t been back,

since.

Our local Diva,

and,

her impressario husband,

Celine Dion and Rene Angelil,

have bought,

Schwartz’s,

with some partners.

Some local press,

fear they will change it,

but,

Celine,

is a hometown girl,

she knows better,

than to change,

Schwartz’s,

that would be like,

modernising,

the Habs logo.

Some things,

just aren’t done

🙂

Later girls,

BB

 

 

 

Author: Bookish Butch

I am a bookish butch in my mid early fifties. I live in Montréal and always have. I used to run a small used bookstore. Reading keeps me sane. My latest jiggie is photography, book project in the works, living the dream

8 thoughts on “Legends”

  1. It’s a hoot isn’t it, you have to read Parnassus On Wheels, the first book, where we meet
    the charming Roger and his Helen. Have you read 84 Charing Cross Rd? If you haven’t,
    you must!!!:-)

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