Across the Great Divide

On the Sherbourne Side: Glen Road on the south side of Bloor.

One of our favourite COVID walks that gets us out of the house and away from people takes us up Sherbourne Street, past St. James Town, along the south end of Glen Road, through a tunnel under Bloor Street, over a footbridge spanning Rosedale Valley Road and into Rosedale proper, where big old trees shade deserted sidewalks.

On the footbridge, looking south to the tunnel

The difference between where we start and where we end is hard to miss. One of the city's poorest neighbourhoods is just a footbridge away from one of the city's wealthiest. 

St. James Town towers: looking south on the bridge 

The contrast is stark. So much wealth so close to such poverty brings out my inner socialist. We talk on our Rosedale walks about the scourge of social inequality, but we don't talk too loud. We don't want to frighten the natives. Or cause them to call the police.

The Rosedale end of the bridge: the plaque commemorates
Morley Callaghan, who lived nearby

I look at the massive homes and the manicured properties and the $85,000 cars in the driveways and I wonder how anyone could have so much and not feel compelled to share.

Rosedale Vanity Plate. It stands for "earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization," 
the things investors look for in a company. I don't think it matters that the car is from New York. It makes no difference that they want to keep Tahoe blue.

There's an answer to that question. Social science research shows that rich people lack compassion and have a strong sense that they deserve what they have. So, they are disinclined to share.

These days, people want to defund the police. Another good idea might be to defund the rich.

Thanks for reading!

Tip your delivery person!

Karen

That's rich:
gas 20 cents a litre shy 
of pre-COVID prices.