There are places I remember...part one.

There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all 

Man, Lennon hit it on the head. When you are in a nostalgic, retrospective mood, nothing sums things up better than this particular song does it? I was pondering what to write about today, and then a friend sent me a message and it clinched what I wanted to write about. I apologise if what I write here embarrasses him, or makes him feel uncomfortable with its sentiment. It was something I had always known I was going to write about here, he just happens to be the first one. While I thought about the times we spent together it also got me thinking about places as well, places that shaped me into the person I am.


I've always felt that music and literature are two of the most important things in life. My choices for both were deeply affected by Chris W. and City Lights Book Shop.


I've known Chris for well over 30 years, we both went to St. Francis elementary, we both lived on the same street about seven houses away from each other. It was the typical 70's childhood friendship, playing in yards, hide and seek, Star Wars, Battle of the Planets, fights and the inevitable stupid apologies. Then Chris and his family moved away, I don't remember when, but it was a few years until I saw him again and then we started High School together. Our high school years were no different than anyone else, a tight knit clique that seemed to do everything together. Even when we didn't want a particular person there, it just seemed wrong that they weren't. It wasn't a lot of parties, or drinking, but a lot of music and movies, had we been more inclined it very easily could have become a Tarrantino Rodriguez combo. 


Our movie and musical tastes changed over the years, growing and influenced by each others tastes. The early years marked by Friday the 13th movies and Triumph (Chris) Genesis and Yes (me). By the end of school I was fanatical about The Who, Pink Floyd and Tom Waits. Chris had gravitated towards the big guitar sounds of the blues legends and masters like Jimmy Page. 


In 1988 - Chris gave me a book that changed my life. For some adults this would be something banal like Eat Pray Love (shit) or  The Book Thief (Brilliant). But, for a teenager that had already decided to go into politics, The Prince was a lightning bolt. That coupled with a conscious decision to be an arrogant, egotistical, narcissist, changed me into who I am today. For those that really know me, understand that I don't see any of those traits as negatives. 


It was Chris that introduced me to City Lights Book Shop in London. This was a place where we spent our lunch breaks, ditched classes, cut church service and spent many Sunday afternoons. It was and still is my idealised used bookstore. You weren't going to get to find any rare and valuable tomes, but you would always find what you were looking for. The used comic section was huge, there was always porno mags hidden in the stacks of popular science in the very back. (This was always a happy moment for 15 year old hormone driven teens). There was a large selection of original print pulp novels. But it was one thing more than anything else that got me.
It had atmosphere.
The smell of the dust, mouldy book bindings, cigarettes from the staff behind the counter and of course stale coffee. The staff were an eclectic bunch - The owner will be well known to residents of B.C. - Mark Emery. Mark was already a young rabble rouser at the time, his current battle against the fascist hordes was Sunday shopping laws. For young teens in the 80's with little or nothing to do, having places to shop on Sunday was fantastic. Now, as a working adult - I miss those days of stores being closed for at least one day. I wonder how Mark feels about the cult of commercialism he helped create. The last I heard Mark was in a US prison on federal drug and mail charges, being held under circumspect law violations. Whatever his politics these days, I want to thank Mark for giving me a place that was always stable and unchanging every time I made a trip back to London.


Chris, has always been just as steadfast. We lost touch when I moved away to University, only getting to see each other if I came down on the Christmas holidays. But, it never mattered, we could go months or even years without seeing or speaking to each other and we would always be able to pick up as if we had only just seen each other a few hours ago. It was with great happiness I found Chris again a few years ago through face book it had now been at least seven years since we'd had any contact and once again - friendship showed that it can transcend time and geography. We both had careers and families now, and I love to see that Chris kept his love of music alive and more importantly he has passed his love of guitar onto his kids. 
He's been on my mind a great deal lately whenever I see a movie from those years long past, or when I pick up a particularly well written book I can't help but wonder what Chris would think of it. The Book Thief and Life  of Pi being two recent ones.