I don’t think they answer is yes, but man, am I seeing my share of it these last few days…
Of course, my job doesn’t really help, not that I don’t like what I’m doing, I love it, I revel in it… but still, there are a lot of people on the “not so normal” side that show up and will use their time at the counter as their own personal platform to shoot the crazy at you… and if you dare not agree, they’ll remind you that they pay your salary through taxes… which I’m always quick to respond that I too pay taxes and therefore am my own boss too in their own logic… that’s when I don’t decide to be a real dick and ask them for a raise… People have their opinion and if they choose my counter to vent, I enjoy listening and will nod in agreement as long as they remain somewhat polite and don’t start yelling… See, crazy can be entertaining… Now, I’m not talking about the majority of people, most come in, do what they have to do and leave, most wish us a good day too. I’m talking about the ones who are running away from aliens, the ones who want to know if you can travel to the states by train with a cat and can you smoke in the train and if not, how long before you stop and smoke. I’m talking about the ones who felt so persecuted by the officer who gave them their ticket that they will go to law school to get the fucker back and totally win in court, those same who try to use big legal words to try and impress you but fail miserably at pronouncing them correctly… These people are always fun… but still… crazy.
Yesterday, was a bit of a day like this… but the afternoon brought the angry crazies… the passive-aggressives… the one who ask for something, you do it, they change their minds and want something else, then when you explain that you have to do this and this before making the change, they go all: “fine… don’t do it… I don’t care” usually followed by a few swear words at their departure… These are the same people that are given a choice between 3 options, you can only choose one, but still, they want #3, then #1, then #2, then #2 & #3 and you stand there waiting until the crazy stops, looking at them without blinking because you can’t figure them out… Are they joking or are they really not all there? Or even better when they give you attitude because you won’t tell them what they should do, I always answer that I cannot tell them what to do but only recite their options… It’s not like they have that many to choose from, it’s not like I made them come to court, so I dig and ask why they decided to come to our office that day and they go on about injustice and the such, then it’s decided, they want to plead Not Guilty, option #3 it is… I didn’t tell them what to do, I just prodded deeper and found out what they wanted… not a science, I’m aware of that, but it works most times.
Thing is, that’s usually the good crazy that I see… I like going to work, I like being around it.
The other crazy is mostly found on the streets of Toronto… The ones who were thrown a curved ball and decide it’s your problem to deal with it. The ones who stand at a street corner and call you a faggot then ask if you have money to spare. The ones who yell on the sidewalks for a major part of the evening and night. The ones who are so angry or stoned or drunk they’ll decide to cross a street on a red light just because they feel they can, causing near accidents in the busy corners of the downtown core. The ones that bring an amplifier to sing about jesus in front of Eaton Centre, and when I say sing I mean wailing at the top of their fucking lungs. I always hope we run out of oxygen in those specific times. I’m talking about the religious assholes who think their agenda is more important than yours and force their bible in your face. I’m talking about the walking trash who would rather be your immediate problem than trying to do something about it, I keep telling them they better use the service they still have access too before they’re gone forever…
And then there’s the sort of crazy I can’t get a grip on… Like a particular individual and his brother who decide to go on a diet and it makes the media because he’s “someone important”. They call him brave for stepping on a scale in front of cameras. They applaud his effort of wanting to eat healthier… 2 things, 1. this is a media stunt to try and soften the blows of the next 3 following days of voting the new budget when they will cut down services and jobs and prepare the final step in their very well rehearsed plan in locking out it’s employee, and 2. Three quarters of the city of Toronto went on a diet after the holidays, that didn’t make news… It’s just something people do for themselves, to feel better…
So, does Toronto = crazy? No, not really, but man, the crazies sure get a lot of airplay in my eyes.