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Fresh from the Downtown Eastside, Here's Jimmy in Fairview. He has an appointment to meet someone. Quick story:

Some years back, Jimmy and I were at the Ridge Centre, at 16th and Arbutus, the the day before Jimmy was to get his disability cheque. He needed $5. He promised to meet me at such-and-such a time, the next day, back at the Ridge. I lent him the money, with little expectation of getting it back so easily.

The next day everything -- cashing in my bottles, going to my locker -- whatever. It all took too long. I wasn't going to make our scheduled rendezvous, but I tried. I was booting it West up Broadway a few blocks before the turn South onto Arbutus, when I saw Jimmy, on his bike coming towards me in the East-bound lane of Broadway. He was coming to find me to pay me back.

That's Jimmy. He keeps his word, and, apparently, his appointments. Click the images to enlarge.

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Jimmy's bicycle lock

Here we see Jimmy's using some bicycle chain and a good padlock, He says, he made the loop at the end of the chain, by tying the chain to itself using brake cable, and covering the handiwork with duct tape -- helping to illustrate a rule about bike locks -- locks are at least as strong as thieves think they are. In fact, Jimmy insists this is quite strong, the chain being hardened steel and tough to cut with a hacksaw. It's a great example of a smart cheap-and-cheerful solution. Click the images to enlarge.

This graffiti-clad old Grumman aluminium delivery van is "parked" in a lane on the South side of West Broadway, just West of Arbutus. It has been sitting in that same parking space for many years. This is virtually a neighbourhood landmark, and I think Gumman vans are cool. I'd like to find out the story behind this van. There is another long-time, tagged-and-parked Grumman in the Fairview area. Maybe Toad's already covered it; if not ... Click any image to see a larger version.

Last photos of the now missing truck ►