Yesterday, I learned that all remaining
Black's Photography stores in Canada are to close. The chain is Canadian and was bought by Telus years ago.
Photography has taken quite the turn in the last decade or so. Developing film isn't too popular. You still need a place to buy cameras and accessories, but you can do that at major electronic stores. Why would you go to a photo store? Perhaps to get your passport photo done -- once every decade.
Black's has a special place in my heart. I have rarely talked about this part of my past.
Before I dated my ex-husband, I dated a man named Jay. We were same same age. We met through Telepersonals. Yep, it was an over-the-phone dating service. We left messages in each other's voice mailboxes, exchanged phone numbers, and talked.
The first time we talked, it was for nearly six hours. He told me that he loved my giggle. I liked how he could figure out what phone buttons I was pressing based on the tone emitted. We were both geeky. We both had an interest in knowing the bus number associated with a route in Toronto.
Our first date was at a park where I used to live in Toronto. I took my father's car, picked him up at his workplace, which was at a Black's, and we drove down there.
We talked. We kissed. He wore braces. I didn't. It was a nice, memorable, sweet evening.
We continued to talk for a while. Then, I didn't hear from him at all. I didn't know what was going on. I kept leaving him message on his home phone.
He finally called me from a pay phone one day. He was at Eglinton subway station. He told me to never call him again. Yes, he broke up with me over the phone.
I was devastated. I was only twenty years old. I cried for a few days. I was then slowly getting over him.
Months later, he called me. Well, it was his sister who called me. I didn't know her. It sounded like she was crank-calling me. I got my computer's modem to pick up her calls, which emitted lovely screeching noises.
Finally, Jay spoke. He finally explained why he had broken up with me. His father objected to him dating and had heard my messages on Jay's answering machine. His father had passed away, which was the main reason why he could finally call me.
Jay wanted to see me. I was in the middle of studying for a computer science midterm. He wanted to say that he was sorry.
I agreed to meet him at his workplace, which was twenty minutes away from where I lived. I took my dad's car to meet him.
He was the youngest manager at Black's back then. He asked me to accompany him to the bank in the mall. I did. He deposited money from the store for that day.
We walked back to the store. He locked the door. We went into the photo development room, where there were no security cameras.
We kissed. He wanted to play with my breasts. I took off my t-shirt. I then proceeded to take off my bra. He liked what he saw and caressed them.
That evening was the last time I ever saw Jay. Weeks later, I met my ex-husband.
I think of Jay now and again. I wonder whether he is still working at Black's or has moved on.
My guy and Jay are somewhat similar. They are both bright. They both have mentioned that they like my giggle and personality. They are the same height and have the same hair colour. They both like caressing my breasts.
If Jay is still with Black's, I hope that he finds employment soon. Would I want to see him again? I would like to catch up with him and see how he's doing. That's about it.
