Jem...Chapter 184

*Before…

Dad comes over. “Just gotta let the paint dry so you want to catch a bite to eat?”

“Actually yeah how about we get take-out from Crystals?”

He looks surprised. “That, that actually sounds like a good idea.”

I grin along with him and I take a look around and ask a few folks if they want anything we can pick up from there while we’re going.

“They need the business I hear and while we’ll pick up stuff no problem uhn are you guys good with no change and leaving tips instead?”

There’s a bit of the word passed around and then there’s some orders and money being passed over and I take it all and write it down and then we head out with Dad and I and Josie in her truck and Uncle Mitch.

It’s definitely looking like this might help...or at least have them have a good turnover day.

You sometimes just have to pay it forwards.

*And Now…

It’s still different going places with Dad as me.

I know it’s different for him too but it’s a happy different.

He’s smiling and playing the radio which is always the local classic rock station and we’re listening to Sabbath and Zeppelin as we drive with some other old greats in there like Lynyrd Skynyrd...seriously people make jokes but *Simple Man* is a work of stunning genius.

Plus all those bands could seriously play.

We drive through downtown heading along the older waterfront roads and streets. The CN stuff is still more roads than streets and sadly this part of town’s in rough shape. There’s two main streets and one is the highway at the top of the hill and the other is Duke street and that’s what we turn onto.

The rest of the east side is all smaller streets and side streets, The railways dried up more and more as did other shipping as steel works too a dive and mining then cars too and things got rough, people got poor and lots of folks moved and business took off towards the hill as the highway became more important as trucking took a bigger hold.

There’s not a lot of businesses down here but there are a few in the right down and center of Duke street down by the cenotaph and small Victoria Park.

And some that look like they’ve seen some better years too or might be fading out and some places are boarded up and closed.

There’s a few spots of hope out closer to the homes and apartment buildings as we get out of east-down-town with a few Mom and Pop shops here and there and a smattering of immigrant businesses.

Even a couple of the streets are definitely in worse for wear shape.

And I mean it’s not like horrible it’s just not so what it was or could be and that’s kind of sad and it’s a little like haunted while living.

Then we pull out towards the east end waterfront and up to Emmerson Beach. It’s an older beach park from way back when folks used to come here from close by and it’s still sort of nice. A parking lot and guard rail to keep folks from driving over the grass and the little strip of gravel sand beach and a few picnic tables here and there chained to concrete slabs.

And at one end on an old cement pier with wooden logs covering it all for looks is Crystal’s a powder blue restaurant that used to be a big draw a long time ago and they built on the pier for the pleasure boaters to pull up and either come in and eat or pick stuff up.

It’s seen better days too and yet as we pull in and get out there’s a promising scent of fried goodness in the air.

French fries in that old school way and something else?

Dad...dad does this big guy like inhale.

“What am I smelling?”

He has this huge smile. “Clams.”

“Clams?”

“Mmm...and not claw strips either these aren’t even fried.”

We’re talking as we’re walking and then head inside and it’s waaay odd that Dad opened the door for me and I blush and he’s beaming like he enjoyed doing it or thinks that the odd is funny and the smells hit me as we come in even more.

Six tables nice windows and a great, great view and an old styled diner counter just adds to the charm there’s a sign in chalk as the price board and three bit chowder is going for three dollars.

“Where would they get clams like that?”

“Shipping them in likely, it’s getting cheaper.”

I hear this guy wearing an AC/DC shirt on say as he’s wiping down a table. “They’re from Moosonee.”

“Uhm….”

Dad says. “It’s up by Saint James Bay Angel.”

“Oh...cool.”

The guy nods and smiles and points to a menu board. “What’ll it be folks?”

I grin. “We have lots of orders actually.”

He looks quizzically at us. “Must be our lucky day….Hey Crystal honey we’ve got another rush order!”

I was expecting someone older but a girl around my age is sticking her head out the order window. “Really wow okay what’ll it be?”

I start going through the lists and Dad’s getting a seat at the counter. “I’ll take two of those chowders to start.” he says to the guy and I rattle off the rest of the orders.

She writes everything down and I go and grab a seat with Dad.

The chowder comes and it’s thick and cream based and I can see mussels and clams? I think there’s some of the local white fish in there too.

It’s really good, sweet but not sugary good veggies like celery and onions and other things that are making it that sort of creamy meets umami.

Then the fish, shellfish and these cute crackers that float on top and I’m enjoying every bite and Dad orders the steamers that come in a big bowl of deep fried love and they look like the baby clams with the little bellies being still on and I get a small fish and chips.

The fish is really, really good and it’s walleye this week?

“This week?”

He nods. “I get stuff in from different local boats mostly the stuff the fishing boats catch along with their catches or a few just local guys making a side buck.”

“This is really, really good.”

The guy nods. “Food’s come up lots since my daughter took over the kitchen.”

Dad’s like… “Yeah noticed the staffing changes.”

He nods. “Old owner was my aunt and she passed away last year and left the place to me. I wanted to give things a shot before just selling it.”

He then turns towards the kitchen and has one of those soft sweet daddy smiles. “It’s been rough but worth it. Toronto wasn’t a good place for Crystal and I used to bring her here to visit when we could get out this way and she loved it.”

Dad nods. “We do what we need to for our kids man, they need love and that’s gotta be real stuff and not lip service….I’m Remy.”

The guy shakes his hand. “Mark.”

It’s cool what they’re saying and they’re getting along in that guy way with the handshake sealing their friendship and I take my phone out and start Instagramming the food and the place and I get up and head to the kitchen take out window.

“Hey...uhm Crystal could I get some shots of the food before you bag it?”

She turns and she’s staring at me and she’s really cute this brown haired girl with brown eyes and lots of freckles and she’s definitely her dad’s daughter tall and kind of in between built and skinny wearing an apron over a Sons of Anarchy tee shirt and blue jeans and steel toe work boots that are like this blue-green dyed sheepskin styled that look actually pretty cool.

“Holy fuck..You’re Jem…”

I laugh and blush. “That’s just sort of a stage name, I’m Angel.”

“Crystal...holy shit I’m like a fan.”

“Cool beans, I’m always up for meeting fans.”

“Invisible is like hurt me awesome.”

“Hurt me awesome.”

She blushes. “Yeah like it makes something ache inside but like in a good way...like the song Hurt.”

I nod. “I was hurting when I wrote it.”

She stares at me blushing some more. “Yeah...felt that and I really get it.”

We lock eyes a few seconds definitely having that been through stuff moment.

“So can I get pics?”

“Uhm sure?” She looks at me looking confused. “Why?”

“Instagram.”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to put it up on the band’s site.”

“You have a website?”

I nod and give her the address and she takes out her phone after she drops more fries and she’s looking. “I didn’t know that you had a site.”

“It’s just gone up really but we’ve been on Youtube and Facebook for awhile.”

“Oh cool and you’re doing our stuff?”

“Yeah, I used to come here too once in awhile when I was younger too so it kinda came up in conversation and well I planned to come here.”

“Was it like at a music thing?”

“At last night’s gig actually why?”

“We just did a big order for pick up for Blackjack records.”

I nod. “Yeah that was likely going to happen, the competition was listening in.”

Crystal’s nodding. “They manage The Misfits right?”

I laugh. “Kisses & Thorns yeah.”

She gestures me to join her out back and I come and join her and I find an out of the way place. Even here there’s this great elevated view with a good window looking towards town and the back screen door is open and I can look up the shore and further down town.

I take some pictures and text captions of what they are and even use Vine to take some well vines or mini-videos of her plating stuff.

Or the pop and sizzle of her fresh fries getting tossed and seasoned.

And the fresh bread and buns she’s using and I get her saying. “We buy local just down the street and Gogo’s Bakery.”

I switch to just recording. “Gogo’s bakery?”

“Yeah it’s this really cool place down on Beech tree lane that’s a goth bakery where they wear these cool high boots.”

“So really good?”

“Oh totes, they don’t do coffee there but great sweets and they do really good bread including…” And she holds up a pita. “Homemade pitas, Man’oushe that we really do this absolutely kick ass white fish zatar taco with and all our sub buns.”

I film her doing a few things like that and I’m sending stuff to Molly and she’s putting it together.

I show her as it’s coming up and she’s grinning. “That’s so awesome...but why?”

I smile. “To help out, to just do that thing we all should do.”

She tilts her head. “Huh?”
“We’re doing good and when you’re doing good you reach back and help others.”

She nods. Sorry I’m just used to back in Toronto where I lived it was what’s this going to do for me….or how can I stomp others just because…”

Oh...ow...there’s some pain and story there.

And a look to her wrists and arms show scars that are healed but definitely still healing on the insides.

I know there’s good folks in Toronto but Kimmie’s left impressions.

I nod. “That’s here too honestly, it’s one of those things that sort of sunk in places when folks were struggling the haves got even worse on the have nots.”

Crystal sighs. “Yeah it’s just been hard...there...here...I’m not used to folks trying.”

I smile and lean on the counter and sing a cappella… *Try* By Blue Rodeo.

Don't tell me I'm wrong...
Cause I've been watching every move that you make.
Hearts you steal, when you're made-up and heels!
Trouble for the man that you take...

Every time you walk in the room...
I couldn't ever be sure of a smile.
You were never the same way twice…!
I'm falling in love…

Oh.. night after night…
Oh it's crazy....!
Ooh...

So many people who said.
Ooh...
Girl you've got nothing but time.
Oh you are a shining star.
Don't you worry 'bout what you're leaving behind...

Every time you walk in the room..
I couldn't ever be sure of a smile.
You were never the same way twice...
I'm falling in love..!
Oh...night after night…
Oh it's crazy…!

Oh you got to try, try, try….!
Ah don't you know you've got to try...
Try, try...oooh!
Oh baby you try…
Oh….

Every time you walk in the room...
I couldn't ever be sure of a smile.
You were never the same way twice!
I'm falling in love...
Oh...night after night…!
Oh it's craaaazy…!

Oh you got to try, try, try…!
Ah don't you know you've got to try…!
Try, try….
Ooh oh baby you try..! Oh whoa! Whoa try! Oh whoa whoa….!

Yeah sometimes there are just times that when you’re a singer and you just gotta sing and this is one of those times...or it was.

Crystal’s looking at me, staring actually and there’s tears rolling down her cheeks and she’s sniffling. “Did...did you just sing for me?”

I nod smiling and reaching out and holding her hand. “Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“No one’s done that for me.”

“I hope it wasn’t awkward, I mean it was kinda a love song and stuff.”

She actually sort of excitedly arm shakes. “Are you kidding me!? That was awesome!”

She pulls me into a hug and she’s hugging me pretty hard.

I can’t help it I hug hard back and rock her...us.

There’s a little been too strong shiver there going through her and she just sinks her weight on me a few seconds before breathing a few slow breaths and then lets me go.

“Seriously Angel above and beyond, your girlfriend’s a lucky girl and I actually kind of wish I was into girls.”

I blush hard. “Yeah...Rayne’s awesome but sometimes stuff just kinda happens...like me just kind of randomly bursting into song.”

Crystal laughs. “Sounds like The Sound of music.”

I laugh. “I’ve literally done that right in my kitchen.”

We both end up laughing at that and we get the orders bagged and I pay for them leaving the rest of the cash as tips and Dad pays for ours and leaves a fiver as a tip and we get in the truck with both Mark and Crystal waving to us.

Dad looks at me. “Made a friend?”

I laugh. “You too?”

“Yeah Mark’s a good guy, he’s trying really hard to start over.”

“Yeah Crystal gave that impression too.”

Dad’s nodding. “Glad we came, seriously glad and I gotta tell Mitch they have fresh clams here.”

I nod. “Tastes of home.”

He’s grinning. “Yep, missed fresh sea clams.”

“I know you ate like they were truffles.”

He grins some more. “So Blue Rodeo huh?”

I smile. “It was in the moment thing.”

“Yeah I heard...You never did those before all this.”

I nod. “Yeah...it just kind of comes out sometimes.”

He nods. “You’re happy.”

I nod and smile. “Adam’s bull aside yeah, really happy Dad.”

He has that daddy smile again. “Good.”