My McDonald Moments

There are countless McDonalds in the world but I probably had dined in this particular McDonald at the heart of St.Chatherine street in Montreal, more than any McDonalds in the world. I'm glad to see that it still lives there, 9 years after I have last seen it.

During a cold snowy night in 1995, I walked into this McDonald around 9pm. I hadn't eaten anything all day, and I forgot why so. As soon as I had picked up the tray with a set meal, I stumbled and fell. The coke splashed, fries strewn all over the floor. I was literally on my knees.

Maybe it was the extreme hunger. Or maybe the coldness had sucked out all the energy from my body. I lost my steps.

A black waiter quickly helped me to get up. She told me not to worry about it. Embarrassed, I didn't know what to do. Seconds later, she delivered another set to me. I probably was more overwhelmed by embarrassment than hunger by then, but I finished the whole set nonetheless, with mixed feelings. Gratitude, self-pity, and sense of depression. I didn't know how I could get through this for another 3 or 4 years.

But of course I survived. There were many happy moments too in this restaurant, and I had dined with many friends there, but oddly I couldn't remember much details of happy moments.

Most of the moments there were neither positive or negative. There were many late nights, in which I was dining there alone, after watching movies nearby. I would be sipping the cold Coke, staring out the glass into the darkness, thinking of the movies that I had just seen. I was probably smiling over a clever plot, while chewing the fries, with lots of mayonnaise.

After clearing the tray, I would put on the coat, take a deep breath, and open the door, and plunge myself into arctic coldness, and struggle to walk up a steep slope to get home.

Dream revisited

In May a friend went to the States for job assignment. I persuaded her to take a short trip to Montreal to take some photos for me. I had left the city in late 1999 and hadn't looked back. Admist all the drastic changes happening all over the world, this place seems to be constant. Nothing has really changed and it feels as if time is still there.


It was a big giant reservoir underneath the lawn.

I could still recall looking out from this window in The McGill bookstore, just footsteps away from my school.

An absolutely stunning statue consisting of dozens of laughing people was placed infront of Royal Bank of Canada, where I used to work as a trainee in 1999. My two other co-workers were Jewish and Kuwaitee. The Kuwaitee obtained refugee status as a result of Saddam's invasion into Kuwait in 91. The Jewish was born in Montreal, but in a broader sense, every Jewish was a refugee. I was cash-deprived, seriously hit by the asian financial crisis and I did consider myself a true refugee, the most pathetic among the three of us.

I was especially close with the Jewish. He would sometimes call me up to discuss with me about his strategies to hook up with someone. Lately I reunited with the Jewish in Facebook.

I worked very hard during this period and I could never work as hard in my later years.

St.Chatherine street was the main source of entertainment. The buliding well-lit used to be strip bar. Next to it was a 2.5-a-ticket cinema. I probably had seen more than 300 movies from that cinema. Digitally restored Godfather, Fargo, Sleepers, Dead Man Walking were done here. I would say, this is a real school to me, and I had graduated mastering the art of watching movies without any subtitles from here.

Quebec state's flag is at the same height of Canadian federal flag, sending a signal of defiance and independence. HK's flag, in comparison, could never go higher than People's Republic flag.

In winter everything will be creamed.

A big red S sign was on top of Scotia Bank, where I used to do my banking. In the final days before milenium, I was trying to withdraw all the money from the bank before leaving the city. That prompted a black cashier stopping me. "Are you worried about the Y2k situation? Don't worry, there won't be any problems". I didn't bother to answer him because in my view he was infringing my privacy. I wanted to see his manager, and he gave in.

Photographed this in 1996, and sent to my dad and mom. Behind this status was a company that provided photocopy services.

This is new and I have not seen it. It's really nice.

The couple was still there, forever kissing each other.

I spent most of my Montreal yers staying in this apartment. Down there there is a little grocerry store, where I usually obtained milk and muffin, and ocassionally instant noodles. Behind the store was the mailroom, where I usually checked for letters. In 1995, the mailroom was filled with papers in green colors. The papers printed the question of referendum posted to all Quebecers. In late 1995, the referendum was held, and 51% Quebecers had agreed to stay in Canada, while 49% wanted independence.

This little crappy store is still here. I didn't know what it sold. I always passed by it while walking to school, and felt that it looked rather out of place.