BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!

Subject: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 12:58 PM

Yes, Orillia is my town. It's an amazing place. But very few people knew that...until now! Yes, after slumbering in relative anonymity for, well, one hell of a long time now...my town of Orillia has finally gained national...no, international prominence. Orillia's day of glory has arrived, all because of this great music video:

Welcome To Orillia!

And here are some reactions to the video on the part of local citizens and politicians:

It is so much fun....

Every salient point of the cultural glory that is Orillia has been accurately brought forth by this timely music video, and I think I can safely say that Orillia's Golden Age has probably begun.

I am just incredibly lucky to live here, and I know it. I bet you wish you lived in Orillia now too, eh? ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 01:17 PM

There are some fine features in your town, LH. Has Shane starred in any of those nearly 400 videos they have produced?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 01:23 PM

Have you got any room in your basement?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 01:27 PM

This town really is perfect for Shane. I can't understand why he doesn't move here. It's like Blind River X 10, eh? The guys in the video look a lot like some of Shane's good buddies.

The basement is kinda full of stuff...but we have a metal quonset hut out back, and it has heat and some windows too! How about that, gnu?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 02:43 PM

Hey...it don't look to bad from a distance!

You in the pic, L.H.?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 02:59 PM

Yeah. I'm the 3518th pixel to the left of the point on the green arrow.

Note the two (Count 'em! Two!) lovely waterfront areas. Local hosers and unwed mothers favor the waterfront for their leisure hour actities.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: KB in Iowa
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 03:40 PM

I gotta get me down to Tim Horton's.

(BTW, I thought Shane was still with the aliens.)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 04:07 PM

1,2,3,4,5................................................................................................................................3512,3513,3514,3515,3516...hey! I'm standing in mud!...and there's this weird guy drinkin' cheap beer sittin' on a box.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 05:00 PM

Okay, I think that might be Jim. But I'm not sure. The thing is, I'm not there anymore. I'm several miles west of there now.

Shane is still with the aliens. I think they should drop him in Orillia when they return him, because Orillia would be like paradise for a guy like Shane. We have a lot of Tim Hortons donut shops here and several cruddy bars and at least 3 Beer Stores, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 05:54 PM

What do those guys in the video really know ... their probably from Coldwater.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Amos
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 06:06 PM

What I don't understand, M. Hawk, is how you got there and why you have stayed. Is your internal life so vivid and all-consuming that you have no external standards? Or were you raised on Tim Horton specials?/



A

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 06:54 PM

"..metal quonset hut out back, and it has heat and some windows too! How about that, gnu?"

Perfect. Me and the lads will be along shortly.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 08:03 PM

Ah. How did I get here, Amos? Well, it's a long story. Why have I stayed? That's another long story. But hey, who wouldn't stay in this town? Even Gordon Lightfoot keeps coming back here. That says something.

Looking forward to your visit, gnu. ;-) I will attempt to clear out the family of skunks, as well as the spiders, and I'll see that everything else is put "in order" (really stretching it when I say that!). This'll be totally decent, eh? We can fire up the old all-terrain vehicle and go cow-tipping after dark...there's a field full of cows not more than half a mile from here. You can hear them lowing at night. I think these cows might be a bad lot, because they seem to stay up really late. We will have to be "vewy, vewy quiet" (a la Elmer Fudd) as we sneak up on them.


Amos - "Is your internal life so vivid and all-consuming that you have no external standards?"

That is a damn good question, Amos! Wow. That's really memorable. I am going to have to think quite carefully before answering that one.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Amos
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 08:05 PM

:D Made mah day, LH. Sweet, eh? Pass me a brew...



A

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 10:37 PM

You sure have a lot of cute kids in your town, LH. Must be doing something right.

Thanks for posting.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Amos
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 10:48 PM

Those were the adults, leenia.



A

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Rosie The Wonder Dog
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 05:55 AM

Mooh doesn't know we dogs surf the net when he's asleep (we started doing it after he had our family jewels removed, and we got bored with all those dumb folk music magazines), and he wakes so darn early, so we gotta be brief.

Orillia's not so great unless you like being locked in the truck waiting for master to get his rocks off.

Cosmo The Other Dog is too young to remember this, but Mooh made us wait in the pickup truck outside the Atherly Arms Hotel while he went for a beer and a peak at the peelers. He said he was fishing for perch in the channel nearby, but he never gets skunked so we knew by the absence of fish and the hotel bar stink on him that he was making excuses.

Not enough dogs in that stoooopid video.

Rosie The Wonder Dog (with Cosmo The Other Dog).

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Cosmo The Other Dog
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 06:03 AM

Rosie The Stoooopid Dog hogs the computer all the time. I never get to look at the SPCA website or nothing. She lies about Mooh too, he's not what she says you know. He gives me treats all the time and plays with me, cleans up my droll and everything. If Mooh took us to Orillia, it must be the greatest...except I saw the video...and, um, well, there's not enough dogs! What's up with that?

Oh oh, here comes Rosie.

Cosmo (The Other Dog).

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: gnu
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 06:34 AM

LH... Don't worry about the skunks and spiders. Dale's little brother Johnny is comin too. I told Dale about the cows bein up late. He smiled and said, "A challenge!" We'll be headin out as soon as we get the truck back but I don't know how long the trial will be so, we'll see ya when we see ya eh.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 01:14 PM

.....looking for that 3rd Beer Store. Could you let me know where it is.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 02:19 PM

Well, flip me! Orillia might just be almost as cool a place as Blind River, eh? Jeez. And they got a lotta Tim Hortons! Wow! Blind River only has, like, one, eh? I gotta get the guys to drop me down there when my outer space misshun is doen. We are closin' in on the bad buys any time now, eh? Desent. I will report soon.

- Shane

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 04:30 PM

An Orillia phenomenon: If your not sure just what you're doing, are up to or may have done (recently or decades ago), just ask someone. They'll tell you!!! Because as everybody knows, there are no secrets in "The Big O"!
If you ask the right people, they'll tell you that I was on the grassy knoll in Dallas in 63!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 05:23 PM

Yeah, it's sort of like that, specially if you belong to the "in" crowd...ahem!...the people of importance in this town. I don't, so I tend to miss most of that.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: gnu
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 05:38 PM

You don't eat the bowl?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 05:43 PM

Of course you eat the bowl. Just make sure you eat the soup first!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: gnu
Date: 08 Sep 07 - 06:03 PM

Natalie McMaster did a Tim's commercial... I'll stop right there.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Stone Sober in Slightly Cowlitz
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 08:11 PM

What depth of musical talent, canonizing the hometown.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 08:18 PM

Yeah, pretty cool, eh? I don't know what is better, really...the song...or the town. They are both awesome. Majorly awesome. I have to pinch myself every morning when I wake up and realize that I am still living in Orillia. I am an Orillian! God, I am sooooooo lucky!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Stone Sober in Slightly Cowlitz
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 08:20 PM

You'd pinch yourself no matter where you lived.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Stone Sober in Slightly Cowlitz
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 08:51 PM

Long pause.

Well, didn't you pinch yourself when you saw little crow woman?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 09:58 PM

Ah...well, if you mean the woman in the song...yeah, I did! ;-) So how goes it out there in the wilderness?

(the long pause was because I was playing a computer game called "Oblivion" for awhile there)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Stone Sober in Slightly Cowlitz
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 11:17 PM

Longer pause for a movie with much killing, before sleep.

No wilderness left. The earth has been overrun by humans.

Good to see video of the junkyard down by the pricey properties. Thanks for the link.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 11:18 PM

You betcha. Have a good rest.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: rangeroger
Date: 15 Sep 07 - 02:40 AM

LH, I've decide that Smelterville,Idaho should adopt Orilla s it's sister city. We've got 3 bars within 50 yards of each other and most of the toxic waste is now covered with 4 feet of "clean" dirt.
   The entire town was on the wrong side of the tracks until the EPA took the tracks away.
   We do know how to drink beer here and run lawnmower drag races up the main street of town.

rr

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Sep 07 - 01:20 PM

"Smelterville"???? Is there really a place called "Smelterville"?

Good lord.

I can believe that the entire town was on the wrong side of the tracks.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Sep 07 - 05:15 PM

LH, I appreciate your gracious welcome, but I posted a link to the area's website YEARS ago when there were millions of 'rillians here at the Cat. Are you just now finding it?!?!?!? (Don't most of us live in places that now have websites?)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 15 Sep 07 - 05:54 PM

Susan, this thread is about a song. Who gives a flip about the danged website? ;-) You gotta listen to the song!

Go back to the first post in this thread and click on the link I provided there.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 16 Sep 07 - 07:35 AM

L.H.

Do you remember about 25yrs ago when one of the brothers from Orillia's first family of boxing was going to run for Mayor. It was between him and Bobby Blue as to who would run?
They rewrote the words to the song Blowin In The Wind. It was called Givener For Mayor......"yes the answer is Givener for Mayor"

It was a hoot!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Sep 07 - 11:45 AM

Good Lord! ;-) I missed that...must've been just before I moved here.

I once gave a taxi ride to that lunatic Bobby Blue (in my brief 6-month stint as a taxi driver in Orillia...lowest paying job I have EVER had). The man was almost intolerable. What a jerk! Ah well, I should not speak ill of the dead, should I? Bobby Blue passed away a few years back. That man was lucky in one way: he had an absolutely full head of hair right till the day he died.

I managed to talk him into coming to our weekly Orillia Folk Society song circle once, but he would not play anything...just sat there for a half hour and then left. I don't know why. He was being very standoffish. I think he had some old grudges against at least 3/4 of the people in the song circle.

This town is full of petty little grudges and vendettas. It has that small town kind of tendency, fueled by gossip.

Putting a boxer in the Orillia mayoral office would have been fun, no doubt. I have always imagined a donnybrook of fisticuffs arising in one of their fractious debates over civic policy, but sadly, it never has. It would make great copy for the front page of the Orillia Packet and Times (also known as the "Racket and Crimes").

The weirdest mayor we had in the last couple decades, I think, was Ken McCann. He was extremely combative. He certainly had a lovely daughter, though...she used to be a teller at the Scotiabank. Haven't seen her lately, so she's probably done what all the gifted young men and women here do....gone to Toronto.

Remember John Palmer, the 7-foot-tall mayor?

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 06:49 AM

Bobby Blue and the Electric Cool-Aide, just might give you a hint as to why Bobby didn't fit in all too well at the Orillia Folk Society. He did have one song that made it to the air waves back in the 60's though, but I can't remember what is was.
McCann had a hard time getting his point across. If you want a really combative Mayor you should have been around for Wib Cramp. He was arrested and removed from council chambers on more than one occasion for conduct unbecoming.
As for Mr Palmer, try having him for a teacher. He was a chalk thrower with a pretty good aim. He also took pictures for the Toronto Star and news footage for C.T.V.

"This town is full of petty little grudges and vendettas. It has that small town kind of tendency, fueled by gossip."

It all goes back to that book Leacock wrote in 1912. There are families that are still pissed, either because of how they were portrayed or because someone was mentioned and they weren't.

Orillia, full of secrets and lies! It's up to you to decide fact from fiction!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 10:16 AM

Orillia must have been truly hilarious back in 1912. It wouldn've been a very small place then and everyone would have had their nose in everyone else's business, I'm sure. Everyone would have known who the rich snobs were too, not to mention the town ne'er-do-wells. It's possible now to live here and be fairly much ignorant of who they are and of what the hell is going on in the inner circles that run the town. I mean, hey, I'm almost completely ignorant regarding all of that, although I am vaguely aware that Tudhopes and Cipollas are important folks in this town.

You say there was once a mayor here named Wib Cramp? Wib Cramp??? Holy crap. Now there's a name to remember! No wonder he had a bad attitude. I'm sorry that I missed those incidents you allude to in council chamber.

The biggest shitstorm that ever got raised around here in recent times was the great Opera House scandal...the less said about that, the better. ;-)

Bobby Blue was a very, very odd fellow. He seemed to be a cross between a would-be folk legend that never quite happened...and a wacko biker. I could not figure out what his trip was at all. He ran a taxi company for awhile in town...one of 4 or 5 dreadful shoestring taxi companies, none of which was able to make a decent living here (except for Able...they take about 95% of the business, it seems).

If you want a life that is total shit, be an Orillia taxi driver. It's probably the most marginal, crummy job in the world. Anyone who is a taxi driver here is either stupid...seriously out of touch...or downright desperate.

I did it once for 6 months. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Amos
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 10:28 AM

And at that time, sir, which of those categories did you occupy? And if you recovered, when?

A

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 10:38 AM

Ha! ;-) I knew someone would ask that.

Well, I know I'm not stupid. Was I downright desperate at the time? No. But I did have enough spare time from my regular "job" that I thought I could take on a second one, and that's why I decided to try driving taxi.

So I think the answer to your question would be: "seriously out of touch". Heh!

Since Able Taxi manages to almost monopolize the business here (kind of the way Tim Horton's monopolizes the donut shop business) and I was working not for Able, but for Casino Taxi, I wasn't terribly busy. So I used to drive down to the park and entertain myself by tossing little bits of bread to the seagulls from the car window. Soon there would be upwards of 500 seagulls swarming around my car. It was a hoot. Throw a chunk of rye bread into the midst of 500 seagulls and watch what happens. It's a lot like a soccer riot.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 01:01 PM

Talk about a kick in the cup. I happen to work P/T for Able. I don't consider $400 in two days exactly slumming it. No, it's not rocket science, but it pays for the golf till hockey season arrives.
Most of the shine on the Tudhopes is long gone and what's left is on that car that sits in City Hall. As far as King Ralph goes, I worked at Dorr-Oliver-Long's when he and his brother were both grinders in the foundry and played the odd pick-up hockey game with them. He(Ralph) started C.C. Pant Shop, then a restaurant and the rest is history. He certainly is not "Old Orillia". He's run for the Liberals, run for Mayor and he'll not be anything more than a council person. But he is a fairly nice guy!!!

Bob Hope came to town in the 50's and Wilbur Cramp, then Mayor, had recently been kissed by Jayne Mansfield, Quipped Hope, "that's a politician for you – a guy who would go with Jayne Mansfield just for her vote!". Wib had a feed store and was a bootlegger and when I was a young kid frequenting his store on occasions with my relatives was quite an experience. Lots of backroom politicking went on there!

Bobby(Branch)Blue gave me back my dog 40 years ago! I was just a kid and had a Weimaraner that used to go threw windows and screens after squirrels, cats or anything in a uniform. One day she ate a pound of butter and my Grandmother gave her away to someone in Burwash. Somehow she ended up back in Orillia, with Bobby about a year later. I saw her tied up outside the old Zellers on the main street and when Bobby came out I informed him(with fits of tears) that this was my dog and I wanted her back. He came to my home and talked to my mother and gave me back my dog(Gram ma spent the summer at an aunts). So you can see the soft spot I have for Bobby. Although I think your assessment of his persona is bang on.

My Mom, who is still with us at 91, used to work for Professor Leacock in the 30's at his home on Brewery Bay. He was quite a fellow according to her. She has said on more than one occasion that "that G.D book(Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town) still has an effect on this town after almost 100 yrs".

My family has been around here for about 150 years, and yes, I know too much about too many! Hair curling stuff!

Nothing to say about the Opera House, yer right, best left alone.

But, we had the largest pot bust in Canadian history back in the 70's. Around the same time we had new signs put up when you entered Orillia that said "Welcome to Orillia, The Sunshine City". Someone(who knows for sure) took spray cans of paint and proclaimed to the world "we're up to our ass in grass".

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 17 Sep 07 - 03:50 PM

Ha! Ha! Ha! God, I love this town...

There have been some more pot busts recently. I think it's become a tradition here.

Well, that was sweet of Bobby Blue to give your dog back. Nothing like being a kid, is there? He'd never have given it back if you were a bit older, I bet.

So you work part time for Able Taxi? Well, I'll be damned! You were the competition. Man, I started to just hate Able...they would take 19 out of 20 rides at places like the old train station. It was just enough to make you sick if you drove for one of the other taxi companies.

And you made $400 in 2 days???? JEEZUS!!! I was working days for Casino and making about half minimum wage for the hours I was putting in. Un-frickin'-believable. That just shows what a pathetic spot the other cab companies are in.

I used to fantasize about sneaking around when the Able guys weren't looking and putting the letters "UN" in front of "ABLE" on the logos on their cars....

The trouble with driving taxi (aside from the bad company, overlong hours, drunks, stingy tippers, and shitty pay) is this: you get a big gut from doing nothing for 12 hours a day but sitting in a car and scarfing down some fast food between rides. It's unhealthy. I can understand someone doing it parttime, but I pity the full timers.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 12:28 PM

2 days a week(Fri and Sat)and the odd Tues. Casino, Timberline, Swift, all gone. Much of it has to do with the drivers and the cars. I'm kind of lucky I guess. In 10 years never had anyone bail, only two fist fights(one with a driver from another company) and a few "You will get out NOW! I know many in town so it kind of makes it a little easier. Be nice, until it's time not to be nice! Stay away from the fastfood and it's more often than not you will find me out of my car doing a mini-work-out behind the Legion. Gotta keep in some kind of shape for hockey season.

Nice chatting!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 12:40 PM

The mini-workout is a smart idea. ;-) I used to get out and walk around and around the car sometimes, listening for the dispatcher. I had one person bail...he was a real troublemaker who'd had run-ins with other drivers that day, and he got arrested shortly afterward at the Casino. No fist fights, I'm happy to say.

It didn't look to me like Casino or Timberline were going to survive long when I was driving. I think Swift was already gone when I started. We had a couple of good drivers at Casino, did everything we could to make the customers happy, but it was a totally uphill fight because Able already had almost all the business...and why would their regular customers change companies if they were doing it okay? (which I would assume they were)

I think Bobby Blue ran Timberline for awhile, didn't he?

I was doing 2 days a week also. 3 days the odd time. It was okay as a change from my other activities, but it was a one-time experience. I doubt that I would ever go back to it.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 04:53 PM

Bobby had Timberline Taxi-Towing-Crane and at one time I think he even had a Water Taxi. He also had a bar in the basement of The Birchmere years ago called Last Chance Saloon! Last time I saw him preform.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 05:31 PM

He preformed??? That I would like to see. ;-) Do you have to be a prevert to do that?

What kind of stuff did he play? I don't think I ever saw him preform anywhere.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 05:54 PM

A lot like Ronnie Hawkins. Played at "The First" many times. And he really did have a little diddy that got some air time in the 60's. I can still remember his trailer he had painted all up. He looked like a Gypsy. Bobby Blue and The Electric Kool(Cool) Aide.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 05:54 PM

p.s

He ruined many a young lady for the rest of us!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 05:56 PM

Along that general line...have you ever seen Mendelson Joe do a gig? Pretty unique.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 06:00 PM

Regarding the young ladies...did he "ruin" them or just tune them up?

(some guys have all the luck...)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 07:31 PM

Jeeeeezuz ... sorta like overhearing a conversation at a Tim Horton's.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 08:39 PM

Yeah, eh? ;-) There's a Tim Hortons on practically every 2nd street corner in this town.

As for "The First", it is a strip joint out on the edge of town, past the Narrows. They have strippers all day every day seven days a week. A lot of bikers and people like that are to be found at The First, and I expect you can arrange certain illicit activities through the right contacts there...although not on the official menu, of course.

Chongo doesn't go there, because they are prejudiced.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 08:56 PM

I remember the "First" very well. The last time I 'visited' that place the vagabonds and First Choice (biker gangs) decided to drop in for some kind of pow pow ... needless to say the tension was quite high and we decided it was best we depart that establishment. Never did go back there.

I also knew Mendelson Joe, when he was Joe Mendelson, before he was with the Mainline. He was sloggin around T.O on some 'ol Kawasaki trying to get stores to sell his hand made belts.

Boy, now I'm really goin' back down memory lane.

Better finish my coffee and get out of here. :)

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: GUEST,Number 6
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:04 PM

oh ... BTW don't blame Chongo for not going there at all. Even though he is just a monkey he does have some sort of standards.

I'll have a medium, 4 milks, one sugar to go.

later,
biLL

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:40 PM

You are so right about Chongo. He has standards considerably higher than the standard set at The First. If he ever went there it would just end up in a huge brawl anyway, because someone would make some remarks about the "F-in monkey" and they would probably refuse to serve him. Chongo doesn't put up with shit like that.

I bet the local police and the management at The First have a simply wonderful relationship... ;-) (not!)

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 02:01 PM

Well, with regards to ruining the young ladies, his nickname was tripod. Need I say more.
It was probably the Satan's Choice that were there at the First with the Vags. First Choice is a place to get your hair cut. Although "The Choice" would likely be more than happy to accommodate you.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 02:31 PM

Landsakes! I will never think of the Sunshine City the same way, ever again, after reading this thread and watching the video. Imagine, my tender ears and eyes...all I'd ever known about Orillia was from that book and now this!


Great to eavesdrop on your memory lane trip too, fellahs!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 02:45 PM

"Tripod". So there was no danger of him ever toppling over, eh?

Did you happen to also be acquainted with "Sundown", the guy in the Lightfoot song? He seems to have been gifted when it came to dealing with the ladies too.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 08:38 PM

We should remember that Gordon was influenced by other things back in the 60's and 70's besides what most know. He didn't came back to Orillia for years and kind of avoided it like the plague. Orillia has a tendency to eats its own. Those who do have an impact on the bigger scene never seem to come back because they remember those who crapped on them and they're usually the one's that run the place. Being honest, a lot of Orillians of that era thought Gord was, well, something else.

As for Sundown, and don't hold me to this, but it might have been about Cathy Smith, a little more famous for her association with John Belushi. Although some even think it's about one of the Good Brothers, one of which(Brian?) Gord caught sneekin down his back stairs!

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 08:55 PM

Yes, I'm well aware of Gord's lengthy disenchantment with this town, and it's like you say...they eat their own here. It's a gossipy little place.

They have decided that Lightfoot is something to be proud of more recently.

Subject: RE: BS: My Town: Welcome to Orillia!!!
From: 3refs
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 09:06 PM

It doesn't take people who didn't grow up here long to figure this out.