MAN: Will that be all today?

WOMAN: Yes, that’s it, thanks. Actually, do you sell transit tickets?

MAN: Sure. Do you need them for local transit or the Rapid System?

WOMAN: I’m not sure . . . I live here, but I always drive. My car is in the shop today, though.

MAN: Well, Rapid System tickets are only good on commuter trains and buses. Those are the ones that travel to more distant communities, like Terryville just outside of town.

WOMAN: Well, I’m taking the bus to visit a friend who lives downtown. So I suppose that’s local

. MAN: That’s right. How many tickets would you like? We sell them in strips of 10 or 20

. WOMAN: I can’t buy single tickets? I only need two!

MAN: Sorry. You can buy single tickets at the station but only multiples here. That’ll be $26.00 for 10, plus your other items. WOMAN: Well, okay then . . . if that’s the only way you sell them . . .

WOMAN: Hi. I was just here a few minutes ago. I took a look at those transit tickets when I left the store, and they have an ’S’ on them. Doesn’t that mean they are for seniors?

MAN: Actually, the transit company issues the same tickets for both seniors and students to use. The ’S’ stands for both.

WOMAN: Oh. The thing is, I don’t actually fit into either of those categories.

MAN: I’m so sorry! You have a backpack on, and you look like a lot of the university students who shop here.

WOMAN: A lot of people tell me that! I just have this because I’m bringing a few novels over to lend to my friend. We can never agree on what music is best, but we both like the same authors.

MAN: I see. Well, it’s easy enough to exchange the tickets. Unfortunately, I’ll have to charge you an extra $4.00. I’m very sorry!

WOMAN: I understand. And do you know where I can catch the #53 bus?

MAN: Sure. When you leave the store, make a right. The stop is right there on Division St. You can’t miss it.

MAN: Hello! Hey, you look familiar! Would you like a plastic bag for the loaf of bread?

WOMAN: No, I’ve got a reusable cloth one with me. You remember me? I was here last week.

MAN: Yes, the customer with the school bag who I thought was a student! Did you find the bus stop?

WOMAN: Yes, thank you! Your directions were very helpful, and the local tickets worked out fine. Though, with the traffic, it sure took a long time to get there from here!

MAN: I know what you mean. I take the bus downtown sometimes, too, and it always feels like it’s rush hour!

MAN: Hi, Janice. Are you waiting for your daughter? For some reason the teacher always keeps the class late on Thursdays, doesn’t she?

WOMAN: Yeah, I don’t know why. Your daughter Maria’s in the same class, right? Maybe the class is planning a surprise closing event for the parents!

MAN: Could be! Hey, talking about events, are you taking your kids to the Canada Day celebrations next week?

WOMAN: We aren’t planning on it. July 1 is usually too hot, so we prefer to spend the day at the beach. We watch the fireworks in the evening, though.

MAN: You can go to the beach any day! The Canada Day events are special, and just once a year. Our kids love everything about it, especially the parade, so we go every year.

WOMAN: Really? Every year? Doesn’t it get boring?

MAN: It’s different every year. There are beautiful floats, you know, those decorated platforms that make up much of the parade. Last year there was a cool one with kids from the elementary school dressed up as movie characters.

WOMAN: What do they do to make the event especially Canadian?

MAN: Well, there are lots of red and white costumes to represent the colours of the flag. There’s usually a Canadian military band, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on their horses. It’s awesome!

WOMAN: Isn’t it hot and crowded, though? And parking downtown must be a nightmare!

MAN: Yeah, but everyone’s having fun, especially the kids. There’s some free parking if you go early. Oh, and another great part is the food stalls at the football field where you can get delicious food at great prices. Plus, there are lots of kids’ activities like bouncy castles and ring toss, not to mention clowns and jugglers everywhere.

WOMAN: Your enthusiasm is contagious! I’ll talk about it with my husband and the kids, and check out the event schedule on the city’s website.

MAN: Excuse me, Priya? I’d like to speak with you about Devo’s progress. I know you’ve been tutoring him for a few weeks now, but he’s still doing poorly in math at school. He failed another test this week.

WOMAN: Yes, I’m afraid he’s missed more than we thought. It may take until the end of the year for him to catch up.

MAN: Oh. That’s discouraging news. Do you have any ideas about how we can move things along more quickly?

WOMAN: Sure. How about increasing his number of sessions? I could schedule him for twice a week, for example. Or even three times.

MAN: Well, that will be much more expensive, won’t it?

WOMAN: We usually give a discount to families that register for multiple sessions. I’ll talk to my manager.

MAN: That would be great, thanks. I was also concerned about Devo not doing all of the homework you assign. I’m sure you must have noticed.

WOMAN: Yes, that was the next point I was going to mention. I have a new technique I’d like to try with him. I’ve read that it is useful for developing stronger work habits.

MAN: Sure, anything! How will it work?

WOMAN: Well, first, I’ll do part of his homework with him during our session. Then I’d like you to do the next part of his homework with him at home. Finally, he can do the last part by himself. Eventually, we can decrease the amount you and I do with him until he is doing all of it on his own.

MAN: Thanks, Priya. That sounds like a good place to start. It’s just that, I hate to say this, but he thinks the exercise sheets you have him working on are a little . . . boring.

WOMAN: Well, we can use games or songs to help learn science or language, but math is something that just takes self-discipline. One thing that sometimes helps kids is a reward chart. You know, where he gets a sticker to put on the chart each time he does his homework?

MAN: I like that idea. Thanks for your help, Priya.

A new houseboat in Clearwater Harbour has been attracting the attention of tourists and locals. The architect and creator of the vessel, Antonia Moretti, appropriately refers to it as the “floating rectangle,” and people who have seen it describe it as a shipping container on skis. It has taken Ms. Moretti two years to plan and build the houseboat, which is now moored in one of the most coveted areas of the city, surrounded by luxury apartments.

Building her houseboat allowed the 24-year-old graduate to apply her skills in marine architecture, a field she had been studying in both London, England and Shanghai, China. Although her degree can lead to jobs around the world that require this specialized skillset, she says her future goals are still vague. Ms. Moretti can often be seen fishing from the deck of her houseboat or chatting with enchanted passersby.

Not everyone is enamoured by the harbour’s new addition, though. Mike MacDonald, a resident of a nearby apartment building, recently informed Ms. Moretti that she was ruining his view. She simply replied that it was a good view to share

On the agenda for yesterday’s city council meeting was yet another discussion of the public transit dilemma. Over the past 15 years, this city has experienced a significant growth in population, a trend expected to continue well into the future. As a result of this growth, the public transit system, designed with a much smaller population in mind, has been operating beyond its capacity.

As an example, Thomas Findley commutes from Glenfield to downtown on a daily basis. While a year ago it took him thirty-five minutes to arrive at work by bus, the timeframe today is more in the realm of one hour and thirty-five minutes. For Findley, this is unacceptable. He contends that the delays stem from an increase in public transit users without a corresponding increase in the number of buses. The result: buses are often full to capacity and riders must wait long periods before one with space will stop for more passengers. As a solution, Findley has suggested doubling the number of buses in operation.

However, transit planner Rita Cummings argues that this would only be a temporary fix. She insists that increasing the number of buses would lead to significantly more traffic, something which, in the long run, could cause both greater delays as well as an increase in air pollution. Instead, Cummings has proposed the construction of a subway system. Since subways run underground, a large number of commuters can be moved without a corresponding increase in traffic. Consequently, Cummings feels that for growing cities, a subway system is almost always the most efficient and environmentally sound choice. She noted that subways in Toronto and Montreal have successfully fulfilled their roles for decades, each now carrying more than a million passengers every day.

In contrast, while city councillor Scott Dresden agrees a subway is a nice idea, he questions whether the need truly justifies the expense. According to Dresden, the cost of developing a subway system could easily run into the billions. Although the city’s population is growing, it is unlikely to ever reach the numbers to warrant such an expense. As an alternative, Dresden has suggested the purchase of modern, efficiently designed buses which have the capacity to carry double the number of passengers. This option, Dresden asserts, would lead to neither an increase in traffic nor a breaking of the bank. In the days to come, council will need to find a solution, be it subway, bigger buses, or maintaining the status quo. It’s election year, so it’s anyone’s guess what council will do to curry favour.