Manny owned the convenience store across the street from my high school.

I got to know Manny quite well; I’d drop by the store every single day to say hullo — and occasionally to buy something too. All my friends loved him because Manny took an interest in our lives: he knew our class schedules, asked about our test results, came to our concerts and cheered us on during our theater productions. He’d put up posters in the store advertising our school events, and would even put the art students’ work up behind the counter for everyone to see.

In tenth grade, I was the campaign manager for a slate of friends who decided to run for student council on a joint platform. Manny let me transform the store into a de facto campaign headquarters. Our party won four of the six seats for which we were competing; Manny gave me free cookies for a week in celebration.

For the three years I attended that school, Manny was an integral part of my high school experience.

A few weeks ago, as I was walking to the subway stop after a lovely morning in Cabbagetown, I decided to drop by the convenience store and say hullo to Manny.

The store was empty. Manny was stacking bottles of Pepsi into the fridge while the sounds of a guitar played from his stereo speakers.

He recognized me immediately. We caught up — in a short few minutes — on the ten years that had passed since I had left. Manny had started to sprout gray hair, I noticed; most conspicuously, I noticed the lack of school posters, lack of student work around the store.

After our chat, I bought a pack of gum and started to leave. Before I did, Manny pointed towards the stereo and asked:

“It’s pretty good, isn’t it? It’s by one of the students from the school. She’s a great singer too, even better than you were — are you still singing?”

I learned that some things change: Manny was sporting gray hair, and I don’t sing anymore. I also learned that some things, thankfully, never change — that Manny is still an integral part of the high school experience for the kids across the street.

(Photo by kamoda.)