Babs went through a whole lot of trouble to come back to Ottawa this year, having delayed flights, spending an inpromptu couple of nights in Calgary (miraculously, a good friend of hers happened to be in a similar position and so they had an unexpected dinner together), and finally arriving in our hometown and still managing to be able to coordinate with me for an evening of dinner and conversation. We decided to catch up at D’arcy McGee’s, an Irish Pub downtown, after I’d finished work and thankfully got there early enough to enjoy the quiet before the evening rush.
The pub sits just across from the NAC, so on nights when a big show is being put on (like this night), concert and play-goers fill the pub before the performance. The server figured we were going to see the musical Come From Away as well, but we assured him we were just relaxing and in no hurry to leave.
I have seen that musical, though, and it was superb. I went with my parents, part of the particular draw being that we used to live in Gander, where the musical takes place.
On this night however, Babs and I were just intent on talking and enjoying one another’s company in person. And eating delicious food. I got fish and chips (my usual order at this pub) and Babs tried a good, hearty stew of some kind.
Afterwards, we split a rich chocolate cake while we chatted about anything and everything, veering frequently to politics, work, and politics within pop culture. And then got ourselves some specialty coffees to continue our discussion while a musician started playing covers on acoustic guitar on the other end of the pub, near the bar.
I can’t speak for Babs, but from my perspective, something about this night felt particularly relaxed in a way that it hadn’t for a number of years. Call it stress related to work or stress related to the pandemic — whatever it was, it hadn’t felt as present this time.
We said our goodbyes after having finished one last drink each and headed off our separate ways, considerably more relaxed and cheerful than when we’d met up. The night was a relatively mild one for this time of year, most of the snow having melted. Taking off my glasses, I was soothed and fascinated by all the holiday lights blurring and enlarging due to my poor vision, reflecting in the meltwater on the pavement, and so I adjusted the focus on my camera to capture how soft the night looked to my eyes… walking home in a waking dream of a landscape.
