A Night On the Town...Sort of

Last night, after having more or less wasted the better part of the day, I decided to really take advantage of the evening. Finding that the other long term stays at the hostel all had plans that evening, I opted to wander on my own.

Big surprise, I know. The story of this week has essentially been "Ted wanders around Vancouver for a week."

But things happened. My wanderings took me to Granville Street, the seeming center of Vancouver nightlife. Tons of bars and clubs and theaters. As I had arrived a bit too early in the evening, the "night life" hadn't really picked up yet. But there was one big crowd on one side of the street.

It would seem that I had wandered into the VIFF, the Vancouver International Film Festival. All month, theaters throughout Vancouver are showing independent films from across the world. It was pretty cheap, so I gave it a look. I wound up seeing an import from Great Britain, Down Terrace. This was a slick movie. It's 50% Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels or Snatch) and 50% Cheech and Chong. Sort of. It defies description and told a story that I really hadn't seen or heard before. I'd recommend it, but I have the sad feeling that it will drift away, never to be heard from again. The world is full of little movies, made on a shoestring by small groups that, even if they're good, simply fail to take off. Regardless, an excellent night at the movies.

Not much else to say, really. I also explored a few of the other places on Granville, but nothing really came of it. Observed some material for a story I'm gradually puttering along about writing. The people watching in these places is amazing. I shocked a girl who was told to dance with me on a dare. I think she was expecting me to rub up on her like some kind of dog in heat and instead I pulled her into my half remembered Lindy moves. Wound up garnering some not unpleasant attention and pulled me out of my occasionally awkward observer role.

It's fun the odd little skills that being an actor has helped me acquire. If techno songs ever were in 3/4 time I'd have waltzed with someone. For the most part, being a stranger in town kind of sucks. Lone males are, perhaps justifiably, eyed with suspicion by all. Still, it's a good way to break out of a shy mentality. If I introduce myself to random people, as I must to keep myself from cracking up with only the internet to keep me company, they either accept me, ignore me, or tell me to f*** off. And if they do the last two? So what? I'm out of town in three days.

Number 3 has only happened the once. And I wasn't even talking to him. Actually it was just this psycho in the park who was mostly talking to himself.

...There are a lot of crazies kicking around here.