this page was last updated
July 9, 2003
Outside Looking In:
Two views from people who don’t live here
peterborough is trouble
by Geoff Berner
Peterborough, Canada’s Cleanest City. Hah. Smells like oatmeal.
Peterborough is artsy, pretty and seems harmless enough, but in
fact Peterborough is Trouble. The people are too friendly for my
well-being. Booze is as cheap as Edmonton. The pizza after
hours is too good--it only encourages you to arrive home at the
same time as the garbageman. The Silver Hearts are the greatest
orchestra in the history of this country. Peterborough is more dangerous
than Detroit. Watch yourself when you’re in Peterborough. (editor’s
note: see Jack
Flash)
I return to Peterborough Saturday June 21st, on a double bill with
Ford Pier, at the Montreal House.
kiss & drunk
by Jaques Exhilo
a soon to be former Peterborough-ex-pat
At least back in peterborough the only folks with real jobs would
hire you to build their porch come summertime. not here - down river
due east and up a little. another street passes by - passes itself
off as some paved and weary friend who doesn’t need you or even
remember your name but likes you well enough for the apology your
feet become.
here in exile from the patch i live surrounded by the confounding
- more than just the bible is being thumped in these here parts
and all manner of pornography can be downloaded these days anywhere
you like - but here the folks take it upon themselves to run off
a few hard copies and tack’em to the hydro poles to be engulfed
in a twisted wash of more tongues than you could ever possibly kiss.
wherever you like and everywhere counts here i tell ya, and every
once in a while another ex-pet-pat greets me and we stare uneasily
into each other’s eyes until we realize the discrepancy - we have
never been sober together.
and this elicits some smirking and a chuckle but gets stale too
quickly and since we don’t really want to pull each other’s chains,
we move on reminding each other with a shudder that we really need
to get back to peterborough soon even if it is only to get drunk.
|
