Family Business

I headed over to the main Chinatown on Spadina just before lunch on Saturday. Traffic was still light so the streetcar trip was pleasant. I was looking for knock-off World Cup t-shirts but none were found. There were plenty of German tourists in the area as their country will be playing later on at Exhibition Place.

Stopping off at Jumbo Empanadas for a small cheese empanada ($3.50), I noticed the For Lease sign at the front. I found out from the cashier than the owner was retiring. I later checked online for more details: it was a combination of age and rising prices. Case in point, the empanadas here were now $8.50 from $6.75 back in 2023. More specifically, Irene Morales didn't want to lie awake at night in her 70s being stressed about work. The sign went up in February when I was in Toronto but unknowing. It looks like there has been no takers as of June. From the decades that I have visited the store, I knew that Morales had a daughter and that she used to also own a clothing store just up the street. I didn't know she already had a grand-child in 1999. Before I left with my order, I briefly spoked to an older customer. I admired that unlike other seniors, he did not move away from the city. In fact, he got even closer to the downtown core, now at Queen and Spadina because Bloordale wasn't central enough! I was less impressed with his "Trudeau's immigrants caused the housing crisis" attitude.

Then it was up the street to grab my favourite slice of pizza in the city. It was still busy only 20 minutes after opening but not quite the packed mob whenever I passed by. This gave me a chance to talk to the owners except it was more bad news. Their son had lost $2M playing the stock market. The money came from their condo, houses, and bank accounts since he was a co-signer to these assets. With their savings wiped out, it was unclear what the future holds. I was dreading their business closing up shop soon but I don't want them to keep working past retirement.

Speaking of family ties, I got a call from a cousin on my father's side this week. With my parents divorced decades ago when I was a child, and with him living back in the old country when we emigrated, I was rarely in touch with anyone on that side of the family. This was doubly true after he died in 2016. In any case, his second wife also passed a few years ago. It turns out her children could not sell the family home because I was also an heir since she did not leave a will. Were they looking for me but don't have my contact or were they waiting out the period of my claim? Who can say as money makes people do the darndest thing.