October
9 , 2001
© Darrell Noakes
Our first morning in Nelson, BC, Bela and I rode downtown seeking cappuccino and bagels. There's a marvellous little combined roastery and bakery on the hillside up from downtown, so we rolled up front, parked the bikes and took our place in the early morning crowd of arts students, computer programmers, civic workers and other regulars. Awhile later, we had staked out a sunny spot on the patio and watched the comings and goings while we munched our breakfast bagels and sipped tall lattés.
As we watched, a young fellow sauntered up to the entrance of the coffee shop. He had a day pack slung over his shoulders that was weighed down as though it contained textbooks and in his left hand he had a long plastic tube that artists use for carrying large sheets of paper. The fingers of his right hand pinched a small, hand-rolled cigarette. A thin stream of smoke rose from the cigarette and wafted in our direction. A moment later, I smelled it's pungent aroma. If Bela recognized the smell, he wasn't letting on.
As the young fellow with the day pack reached for the doorknob, his eyes settled on a hand-written notice taped to the glass door. I had read the notice when we arrived. It contained a long message about how the establishment catered to a diverse range of clientele. It concluded by politely asking visitors to respect everyone's choice of lifestyle and please refrain from smoking pot on the patio.
The young fellow casually looked left, then right, then slowly turned around and sauntered down the steps to the sidewalk, where he plunked down on a wooden bench and quietly finished his joint.
More information:
- Nelson, British Columbia
- Virtual panorama of Nelson
Borealis
Outdoor Adventure
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