The small white truck was parked on the sidewalk of a busy Toronto street. Two wooden bushel baskets of fresh greens sat beside it. An elderly gentleman appeared to be fastening a gap on the industrial chain link fence that surrounded a vacant lot. The lot was overgrown with weeds, the source of his bounty.
Ramps or dandelion greens, I wondered as I drove by, slowing to take a closer look.
A honk from behind me propelled me forward, but within two city blocks, I knew I had to know. I turned the next corner; executed two U-turns and pulled up behind him on the sidewalk. He was about to close the hatchback.
“Hi!” I yelled, running from my car.
I guess I can’t blame him for being frightened.
Read Alexandra’s entire essay, published in Facts & Arguments, The Globe and Mail (July 10, 2013):
The pickup meal: urban foraging for a taste of our urban roots
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Alexandra Risen
Alexandra is a freelance writer whose work has been published in the Globe and Mail and in online journals. A diversity-loving Canadian, she has lived her life in thirds in Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. Her previous careers in the design and business world give her a unique perspective. She also holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, an MBA, and Diplomas in Urban Planning and Architecture/Design. Alexandra will complete a University of Toronto Certificate in Creative Writing this year. She is writing a memoir that examines family relationships through our natural connection to the plant world, as she restores her 100-year-old heritage garden. Alexandra lives with her husband, 14-year-old son, and rescued dog.
(Alexandra was a student in my University of Toronto introductory course in life writing, Memories into Story. A portion of this essay evolved from an exercise she completed in that course. The next session begins September 23, 2013. My new advanced course, Memories into Story, Level II, will be offered in January 2014.)