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7 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,D ecem ber 6,2018 theifp.ca • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 Wehandleall insurance work. We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 11 Mountainview Rd., N. Georgetown, ON L7G 4T3 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 28 times • Visit our showroomFurnace Air Conditioning Gaslines Boilers Water Heaters Radiant Heating 905-877-3100 proud local dealer of Canadian made products .ca THEN AND NOW The radial car stops at the Acton station at 33 Main Street South. The Toronto Suburban Radial railway operated electric trains to Guelph from 1917 until 1931. The station became a house and now serves as the law office of Mackenzie, Chapman Hilliard. Esquesing Historical Society/Photo NEWS Alison Walker/Photo For years I've been a peo- ple watcher. I watch 'em everywhere - out on the street, shopping or grabbing lunch in the mall - you name it. And the best place to watch them this time of year is while they're shopping, trying to find that perfect Christmas gift. I don't eat lunch in the food court at the local shop- ping mall as much as I did years ago, but once in a while I find myself ordering a sub from George and sit- ting down to take stock of what's unfolding around me. From my vantage point, I watch countless people, try- ing to imagine what they might be up to. Last week, I parked my- self and took stock. There was a husband and wife team sitting near- by who obviously worked at separate jobs as they ar- rived separately. It was my guess they met for lunch to strategize about certain gifts without their kids knowing. "I'll pick up such-and- such, if you can get the such- and-such," said the man, "But I've got to buy 'em now, cuz the kids will be home be- fore I'm done work." "OK, honey," said the wife, "I'll be late for supper, 'cuz I'm picking up this and that on the way home ..." And so it goes. I wonder if kids appreci- ate the effort moms and dads go through for their Christmas surprises. Two other guys, who ob- viously knew each other, sat down to talk hockey. One was a Leafs fan, the other Montreal. Nuff said. A woman I guessed was a real estate agent spent her lunch hour juggling parent- ing, marriage and a profes- sional sales career as she made three calls on her cell- phone. She left a message telling her kids what to put in the oven for supper, followed by another call to confirm an appointment to meet some- one at 5 p.m., wrapping up with a call to hubby telling him she'd be late for supper. All this amid devouring a plate of poutine. I felt tired just watching her, spread so thin between work and home. A young lady sat near me enjoying a health-conscious lunch of a Diet Pepsi and a side order of fries, while an- other girl, obviously a retail store clerk on her lunch hour, temporarily escaped from her present surround- ings as she ate lunch with her nose stuck in a book. I observed a couple of teens, who obviously liked each other, as they went through the motions of the game of love, him trying to impress her, and her show- ing modest approval of his advances. I'm hoping he'll eventual- ly win her heart in time. She looked receptive. Atrio comprised of mom, dad and baby wolfed down a quick lunch, surrounded by parcels and a diaper bag as they attempted to get a grip on baby's older siblings' Christmas list. Mom and Dad looked pretty much drained. Two moms with tots in strollers took a break with a burger and fries, discussing what they'd buy their hus- bands, while four senior gentlemen sat around a ta- ble exchanging stories about the ice storm of 'when- ever' brought about by a few wet snowflakes floating down outside the doors of the mall. An elderly couple walked through the doors, she shakes the snowflakes off her hat while he stamps his feet to knock loose the snow from outside. From the list in her hand I assume they were shopping for grand- children. I enjoyed all this from my vantage point in the food court, like a window seat to the world. As I scrunched up the paper wrapping from my sub and tossed it in the trash, I had a warm fuzzy feeling. In a brief time, I'd wit- nessed countless good things - all snippets of other people's lives. And in doing so, I sud- denly realized how blessed we all are. Ted Brown is a freelance journalist for the IFP. He can be reached at ted- bit@hotmail.com. THAT FASCINATING PASTIME CALLED 'PEOPLE WATCHING' OPINION TRYING TO IMAGINE WHAT THEY'RE UP TO, WRITES TED BROWN TED BROWN Column