Toonies and Toques

By glenda higgins

This is a collection of short stories inspired by people I have known, people I have imagined, and people I hope to know in my future.

"I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move." ― Alfred Tennyson

• Language: English
• Publisher: glenda higgins
• Release date: May 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201828554

glenda higgins

Cafe's are great places to get a start as a poet. Vancouver, B.C. Canada has some wonderful ones.I remember sitting in the audience in La Quena, listening to the poets. Poetry read on-stage takes on a dimension of human communication unseen since the early storytellers. Looking at the poet's body language struck a chord in me. Quite often I would take out a pen and paper and write furiously.One day I was at the Glass Slipper in Vancouver and Gerry Gilbert, a well-known poet, was doing his "Radio Free Rainforest" radio show live. At intermission, he came down from the stage and asked me if I'm a poet. I said, "yes" and was put on the radio a couple of weeks later. We became good friends and he would show up on his bicycle and call up to me in poems. We'd go for long walks around the seawall, talking poetry.I ended up accompanying him on my flute at poetry readings. One day he did a set of poetry about fireworks. He blended my flute playing with a soundscape of the fireworks celebration on Sunset Beach and used it as a backdrop to his poems at the Glass Slipper. Someone in the crowd must have been inspired a bit too much. Next morning we learnt that the Glass Slipper had been burned down, unfortunately, in the night after the poets left. They say words are more powerful than swords.....maybe they start fires too.Here's to starting the fires of the mind and heart . . .

Book preview

DEDICATION

To Mother Nature and her wonderful

understanding trees, sunlight and creatures

flying, walking and looking in our windows

sometimes.

PREFACE

THIS BOOK CONTAINS adult material that isn’t suitable for

young readers.

Please be advised.

Butterflies Have Bad Breath

Chapter 1.

An old woman dressed in a ratty-looking

long brown coat and knitted green toque walked

into the lobby of the Drake Hotel.  She surveyed

the plush chairs and elaborate table lamps.  After

quickly glancing at the desk clerk who was busy

talking on the telephone, she sat down beside a

young woman of about twenty something, who

was anxiously glancing at her watch. The girl's

perfectly manicured fingertips were drumming the

arm of her chair.

The old woman spoke up, "Did you know

that butterflies have bad breath?"

Looking up perplexed and annoyed, the

young girl managed a What?

"Yes, they do, especially the monarchs. They

come from Mexico, you know. They fly up here

for the summer and go back down south again for

the winter. It gets pretty cold here in the winter,

you know. I should go down south too. I would if

I could fly like a monarch butterfly."

The young woman shifted in her chair,

glancing nervously at the door and back at the old

TOONIES AND TOQUES

woman. 

I suppose you want a handout, the young

woman finally said. She reached into the pocket

of her black winter coat and pulled out a small

change purse. Taking out a toonie, she handed it

to the old lady.

Without a moment's hesitation, the woman

brushed it aside with a flick of her hand and

looked apologetically at the young woman. "I'm

sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. Sit down.

You don't have to run away. I'm just here for a

minute to warm my feet. They get kind of cold on

rainy days - my arthritis, you know."

The young woman hesitated and shrugged

her shoulders. She sat down again and looked at

the bags by the woman's legs. "What do you carry

in those? They look very heavy."

"Oh everything. They are my earthly

possessions. Everything you can imagine and ever

want is in here." The old woman patted one of her

bags proudly.

You don't have a home? The young

woman ventured.

"No, not anymore. I used to you know. A

cozy one with a nice soft rug to warm the old feet

TOONIES AND TOQUES

on. But that's the past. I live for the present now -

like a butterfly. If I could only grow wings like I

can bags. I'd fly to Mexico and hang in one of

those trees along with all the other monarchs.

There are billions of them down there you

know. They just cover the trees. People come

from miles away to see them and the village folks

have butterfly parades. You'd never think such a

small bug could cause such a fuss. I'd really like

to see something like that.

It would be so much fun, don't you think?"

The young woman looked away to hide the

small sad smile on her face.

Yes, it sure would. She finally added.

"Some people call me a Bug Lady - I like

that better than Bag Lady. It has more class and

distinction, don't you think?"

The young woman giggled softly.

Yes. She managed to say.

"They really don't have bad breath you

know - the monarchs, I mean. I just said that to

get your attention. You seemed so lost in thought.

Are you waiting for someone?"

My boyfriend. The young woman looked

tense.

TOONIES AND TOQUES

She glanced at her watch again.

"I had a husband once...but that belongs to

the past. Who cares about water under the bridge,

right?"

Memories can be painful. The young

woman looked away again.

"That's why I like to watch butterflies every

chance I get. I can't wait till spring. Maybe this

year I'll see a monarch or two in the park." The

old woman stood up, rubbing her thigh. "Well it's

been a pleasure talking to you. I have to be

running along now."

She picked up her bags and looked at the

young woman for a second. "Life is good. Just

think of butterflies with bad breath, ok?"

The young woman laughed. "Ok and I hope

you make it to Mexico someday, it sounds great!"

Thanks. The old woman smiled. "Bye

now."

Bye, the girl replied.

The bug lady walked away with the bags

held out at her sides like wings. She struggled

with the heavy doors for a minute and before

anyone could help her, disappeared into the rain-

swept streets.

TOONIES AND TOQUES

Kayla took the newspaper article out of her

purse and read, 'drug crime and gangs...' She ran

her fingertips along the frayed edges and read on,

'He was found almost dead in the back alley of the

neighbourhood his gang was known to

inhabit...detectives are looking into his drug

dealing activities...' 

She looked up sharply and saw Josh, her

boyfriend standing in front of her with a big smirk

on his face.

Oh, I didn't see you come in, she gasped.

Josh stopped smiling when he saw the look on her

face.

What's up? He asked.

Kayla looked at him silently for a few

minutes. She then sputtered, "I have to get the

truth."

Josh narrowed his eyes. "You couldn't meet

me at your place? You know we were to be

married...almost." He jammed his hands into his

coat pockets.

"The Drake was on my way to work and I

had to talk to you in person. I had to get the truth."

With that comment she held out the

newspaper, accusingly.

TOONIES AND TOQUES

What are you holding? Josh shot back.

"An article about that gang you said you said

you grew up with. You remember how you told

me you left and got a good job to help take care of

your mom?"

She stabbed a finger at the article. "This guy

who was found almost beaten to death, yesterday.

I remember you mentioned him one time to me

and how he wanted you to sell drugs for him

again, even though you’d left all that behind. 

Did you almost kill him?" It all came

gushing out. Kayla was almost hysterical.

What! Josh looked amused. "Oh, Kayla,

Kayla. Who do you think I am?"

"A guy who likes to break rules. A guy who's

a postman by day and who knows what, by night.

A guy who used to belong to a gang and maybe

still does. A guy who..." Kayla stood up on shaky

legs and pushed past Josh who grabbed her arm. 

"You know I told you not to ask me about

my old gang and now you are jumping to stupid

conclusions! Josh was getting really angry. You

are such a goody-goody. You'd never understand."

His fingers were hurting her. She swung her

purse with her other arm and hit him across the