mile end communality.

on a cold wednesday, i trudge up stlaurent towards the mile end to meet a living impersonation of a montreal revolter, jessie currel.

stlaurent is a contradicting space. little stores seem to be taken over by overpriced interior design havens… beautiful to look at but entirely impossible to access. stlaurent is increasingly intimidating that way. it makes me wonder whether this whole area will turn into a gentrified haven of illy coffee shops, 600$ chairs and steak dinners for the yuppie commando. when that happens non-religious god forbid, will creativity, community and individuality be completely quashed? i saw this occur in manhattan and it pained me: corporate sponsors privatizing parks and eliminating public gathering, making it impossible to enjoy my communal space for free. the last time i was in new york, i had felt ostracized by the capitalistic commodification of neighborhoods, poor by comparison, unwelcome if unable to pay. it was an aimless gazing that left me unsatisfied and rejected. can i still walk up st laurent to the mile end and feel at home? feel welcome, able to belong by virtue of walking the streets?

meeting with jessie who loves the mile end for good reason, i share in her comfort. sitting at cagibi, we sip on cafe au laits that we get at the bar from a staff that smiles with their eyes. for hours, we sit on their mismatched tables, sipping from old mugs, taking in their decors, knowing we’re so welcome to stay, sit, laugh and eat for as long as we wish. toddlers are playing with the newspapers, young ladies take from the bibliotheque. my eyes start to water when the cooks are chopping onions. it’s like being in someone’s kitchen, cozy and warmed by conviviality.

jessie’s old bike is standing outside with a plethora of others. people in this neighborhood bike in the dead of winter. caring for the environment, the mile end cares for them and they’re parked everywhere. we walk to a store a few blocks away, a vintage shop. vintage has exponentially grown into fashion the last 10 years and i assumed that its price had gone up exponentially as well. local 23 (corner Bernard and clark) is no such hipster fad though. the girls there greet jessie warmly, as we push a tinkly door into a little clothe haven that smells of my grandmother’s attic (a very comforting smell, wouldn’t you say?). here again we spend time going through the racks, chatting as old friends, comparing tastes, looks and thoughts. they are a commercial enterprise with a soul and i’m so heartened when jessie and i part ways an hour later.

definitely moved by my human encounter with the mile end, i start to walk down stlaurent back towards home. all along the way, more signs of community catch my eye. it’s recycling day and the streets are full of cardboard and aluminum, set cleanly on the side walk awaiting pick up. it’s incredible how much we care to keep our community clean. laurier park is so inviting and when i stop at street corners, windows looking onto the sidewalks are filled with collages, nuggets of art that color my journey along the mile end.

mile end is a humanity thriving, a community waiting to embrace newcomers snuggly. my mind and soul are smiling, my step has a spring, as the city reminds me that it cares for itself and us.

selin.