On the road again: World Fantasy Con, day 2

Most of today went to work, so I will spare you those details that would be exciting only to a very few (and all of those work at PT).

Lunch was at a restaurant in the pedestrian walking mall that runs along the southern edge of the hotel and continues for several blocks. Getting out into the air was good, the food was tasty, and I enjoyed most of the people watching. I say "most" because the congregation of homeless people led, at least in spirit and occasionally in motion, by the hopping insane-looking woman was rather sad. Even Canada, nice as it is, faces the homeless problem.

I took an early evening break to seek soda at a nearby quickie mart and managed to stroll right into a somewhat sketchy stretch of buildings: one man pissing on a wall in the twilight, taking long enough that he appeared to be enjoying the process and even admiring his handiwork; a different man carefully stuffing his crack rock (or another chunk of drug) into a cigarette; and a few loiterers who assessed my likelihood of being a compliant target (no freaking way, as they decided). The store where I bought the soda seemed to attract the sketchoids, so I kept the transaction quick.

In the walk to and from dinner much later in the evening, I got to enjoy all the lights in the trees and on the buildings. Yes, I agree it's too early for Christmas decorations, but I still love lights in trees, and I have a particular soft spot for them in Canada in the winter. Lovely, just lovely.

The book, which is very near its end, beckons me, so I shall remove myself to it.