Wednesday, May 15th 2024
The Annex, Toronto
I always get a kick out of the public's reaction to seeing a devotee in traditional garb. I like to share what happened this evening as I ambled along on Bloor Street.
A man with a pirate bandana wrapped around his forehead, whom I would judge somewhat fashion conscious, remarked, "Hey man, you look great!"
"Thanks!" He could not have been talking about my face or physique, if I could speak in modesty.
Further on, a man standing outside the "7 - 11" convenience store offered his well wishes, "God Bless Us."
"Agreed!"
I caught the eye of several lunch delivery chaps who carry the square food packs, on their back. Many of them come from India and many of them carry some Hindu piety, as well as the Sikhs. For them the colour saffron is the colour of the monk and so you get at least a reverential nod.
I fully appreciate some of these old-school values. Believe me, I don't need the attention. At the corner of Dupont and Davenport, rather a busy intersection, one young woman who had just visited the temple, met me at the middle of that juncture and as tradition has it, she got down on her knee, bending over, and touched my sandal. The standing traffic was a lot. It seemed the whole world was watching. I quickly bent over suggesting to her it's not necessary.
The lights were about to change. We had to get out of there as motorists wanted to move. "Let's get moving! Hare Krishna!"
MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU!
5 km
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