St. James redux

Last November I wrote a blog about Occupy Toronto. In it I said I agreed with much of what they preached – until I visited their site in St. James Park. What I saw was deplorable: ruts in the grass, broken tree branches, a defaced bandstand and a general carelessness for public property that bordered on contempt.

My support evaporated immediately. I declared they should decamp. The park couldn’t withstand any more such protests. The next day police moved in and evicted the squatters.

I recently returned to the scene. I needn’t have been so distressed; there was no sign of lasting damage. Perennials such as lady’s mantle and lavender look as lovely as ever. The city has planted impatiens in the usual places. House sparrows bathe in the fountain. Dog walkers form conversational bouquets. The trees have recovered from those sleeping platforms. The repainted bandstand welcomes the same homeless crew as before. The only bit of detritus I saw was a Budweiser tallboy can in a flower border but since it was emblazoned with a Blue Jays motif I had to assume it was of more recent vintage.

I was wrong to worry. As a friend used to say to me, “Most of the tragedies in my life never happened.”