Getting on the bus at Marketplace Station in Barrhaven, I found myself sitting across the most boring people in the cosmos. A pair of nerdy Asian guys with less than masculine voices sitting next to a couple of blonde-haired White chicks whom they tried to impress while talking about organic chemistry. This on a sunny Saturday morning in early November. As a big and tall young Black man reading a book while listening to music, I tried to ignore these bozos but they got awfully loud. Just another day in Ottawa, Ontario. Welcome to my life.
In case you're wondering who this is, the name is Stephen Quinn, originally from the island of Jamaica, and raised in the City of Montreal, Quebec. I currently live in the City of Ottawa, the most boring place in the universe. I sat there, counting the minutes as the 95 Bus leaving the suburb of Barrhaven headed to the City of Ottawa. Strandherd, Baseline Station, Iris, Westboro, the numerous stops ticked by, and the nerdy Asian dudes continued trying to impress the White chicks with their knowledge of chemistry, with the blondes looking visibly bored.
Sighing deeply, I found myself wishing the Somali-looking bus driver would speed up. Not a lot of cars on the road. Of course, the dude continues driving slow. I turn up the volume on my phone, and the music video I'm listening to on YouTube ends. I really like the dinosaur videos with Linkin Park music playing in the background. The video ends, and the White chicks are laughing at the nerdy Asian dudes who are now talking about metaphysics, and I shake my head.
One of the White chicks, a tall one with a nose ring, looks at me and I look right back. I don't fear anyone, pale or dark, male or female. The gal holds my gaze, and smiles. Hesitantly, I smile back. This is the City of Ottawa. Land of the Passive Aggressive Bozos. What does this blonde broad want? Sorry, but living in the City of Ottawa has me on edge. In this town, people are so racist it's eerie, but they hide it and deny it till kingdom come. I don't like these people and I cannot trust them. What do I mean by that?
I tend to clash with people in Ottawa because we in la belle province are a brutally honest bunch. Ottawa folks pretend to like each other, going along to get along. On the Quebec side, where I was raised, if we don't like you, we let you know. On the spot. Minorities from the Caribbean tend to clash with the French Canadians and we've had everything from block-wide brawls to full-blown riots. We don't play. Fuck with the person of color in Montreal at your own risk, because they will fight back. In Ottawa? Not so much. In Quebec, we are wolves. We sent all the sheep to Ottawa.
Let me explain what Ottawa people are like, ladies and gentlemen. They hate anyone who isn't of European descent, and they find passive-aggressive ways of getting at you. From bumping you on the bus with a fake smile of apology to sending you a mile in the wrong direction if you're new in town, from undermining you at work or in the classroom to bugging you any way they can, Ottawa people are horrible. The White chick on the bus continued staring at me, all but ignoring the nerdy Asian guys attempt of getting her attention. Alright, lady. What do you want?
At last, the OC Transpo bus reaches Bayview Station, and I happily exit. Actually, no. That's not totally accurate. There's this Arab-looking dude who kind of sneezed and some of it got on my hand and I looked at the bozo and he didn't apologize. I "accidentally" kick him pretty hard, somewhat discretely, and then exit the bus. Hey, if everyone in the City of Ottawa is passive aggressive, I might as well do as they do. Only to get back at them, of course. I walk down the hill and head for the O-Train, which is pulling into the station. I break into a run, and enter the train car.
As I sit on the blue seat closest to the door, I catch my breath and smile. I made it! I was still congratulating myself on leaving the annoying Asian bozos on the bus with their annoying talk of metaphysics and their blonde lady friends when guess who walked in? The same blonde chick who was staring at me on the damn bus. I flash her the fake smile that's pretty much expected of me as a citizen of western society who is feeling uncomfortable in the presence of someone. Imagine my second surprise of the day when the lady came and sat very close to me.
My discomfort grew, but I tried to ignore the blonde chick by looking at my phone. I went on YouTube, which wasn't easy since internet access is iffy on the damn train. I finally accessed it, and went looking for a video I really like, a tribute to Shaka Zulu the former Emperor of pre-colonial South Africa, with epic music in the background. Seriously, what does this blonde chick want? The train reached the Carling stop, and Miss Blondie did not get off.
Seriously, this chick just kept looking at me. When the train reached Carleton University, I got up along with a lot of the other young people on the train. I walked past the throngs of Carleton University students trying to get on the train, crossed the street and headed for the University Center Building. I hope the Tim Horton's in the U.C. Building is open, because I really, really need my morning coffee. Got a lengthy criminal justice paper to write. Something about the treatment of Aboriginals by the Canadian justice system. I was halfway through the parking lot when I felt someone brush against me. I turned around, and saw Miss Blondie's smiling face.
