08 February 13: Sunshine

4pm, Toronto. Walking west on Richmond Street at Portland. From behind, a stumpy yellow Short School Bus.

A sweet young voice hollers out the window to no one in particular:

1. ‘I love you!’

Then, even louder and with greater enthusiasm, in a sing-song kind of way:

2. ‘I looove cheese pizza!!’

The Short School Bus drives past. A girl of about 10 wearing thick Coca-Cola-bottle glasses is sticking her head out the window, fingers curled over the edge. She reminds me of Olive from Little Miss Sunshine. She looks directly at me, eyes and mouth wide open with glee, and nearly screams, red in the face:

3. ‘I loooooove meatballs!!!’

The Short School Bus turns South on Bathurst Street a block ahead. All I can hear, fading into the distance:

‘I ... love ... pepperoni ... pizza ...’