My New Friend Stuart McLean

You'll never guess who dropped by the bookstore early on Sunday morning before we'd even opened, at 10.45 a.m, together with his young and pretty Producer, Jess. That was a hint. You mightn't have recognized him until he spoke. That is another hint. I wouldn't have, except I'd seen him at a reading in Toronto in June.

He performed a reading. I had to shut my eyes though because I found looking at him too distracting. I couldn't 'get in the zone' with the unaccustomed visual distraction. So have you figured it out yet?

Of course - it was Stuart McLean of Vinyl Cafe fame.

Not only did I hear him read in June, I also met him. He came and sat at the same table as me. Not because of me, mind you. But because I just happened to be at the same table as Tory McNally (of McNally Robinson) and he and Tory are old friends. When Stuart said to Tory that he'd be sure to drop by her store (the one that just opened in Toronto), I piped up and said "and you could come to my store too." They stopped in their conversation for a moment, Tory and Stuart, and looked in my direction. It was a fairly long gaze. Certainly long enough that I felt a bit uncomfortable. "If you wanted," I said. They went back to chatting.

But it doesn't end there. Stuart was in town on Sunday. Here in Owen Sound. And early on Sunday morning Jess, his sweet, young Producer phoned (I was still in my pyjamas) and said she and Stuart could drop by. So an hour later after I'd frantically tried to get some heat going on in the bookstore, I opened the door to Stuart, Jess and her handsome Portuguese Water dog, Spring.


While he was signing all my copies of Extreme Vinyl Cafe (more about that later) he told me a funny story about being in a certain giant chain store - dropping in spontaneously and asking if they'd like him to sign their stock. The manager asked him for identification, said she wasn't sure if they carried anything by him or not, what was his name again, but she would look. He suggested - demurely I'm sure - that she might try the best seller section. In telling the tale to me, he was very forgiving. She was new. She hadn't been in the book trade before, etc. But we chuckled together, me and Stuart and Jess. Ha ha, ha and I shook my head ... those chains!

My Mom came in right after church, "well," she said, "has be been here?" Oh, did I mention that our Penguin sales rep had said he might drop in? That sometimes he does that. And that she'd given him our phone number and address. I had mentioned this to my Mom who has listened to Stuart McLean on radio forever.

"Yes, Mom, he came at 10.30."

"Damn," she said, "I'd have skipped church if I'd known."

Once Stuart and Jess and Spring had ambled off for their appointment for the sound check at OSCVI I ran right upstairs and told Andre about the chain store manager and we both had a good laugh. Those chains!

I've only just started reading my signed copy of Extreme Vinyl Cafe and it is vintage McLean. Heart-warming, optimistic, and funny. He uses a format I love. Each story is prefaced by a letter to Stuart seeking advice. The following story is by way of allegory to the supposed advice seeker.
It seems Dave and Morley have become a bit like family, haven't they? We know them so well at this stage it's like sitting down with old, much loved friends.

I was first introduced to Dave and Morley through one of the Vinyl Cafe books but I'm not sure which one in 2000 when I was staying in a little cottage in Tobermory on a visit home from Ireland. Living abroad I hadn't listened to CBC radio in years so I knew nothing about the Vinyl Cafe on air. This little slim volume was on the bedside table. I am sure it had the Dave and Christmas turkey story in it. I have since heard that story twice on radio and each time it is as good - maybe better - than the previous time. Sort of like Grandpa's stories, the more familiar the better loved. "Tell the one about ..."

I'm only two stories into Extreme Vinyl Cafe so far but very happy to reacquaint myself with Dave - I mean, his action hero of choice is Jean Claude Van Damme (me too!) so we just have so much in common. Overall, it is the moments that make it such good reading. When Morley and Sam come back with the Ninja Turtle sheets and Morley is relieved that Sam is still making little boy decisions and Dave asks, "but did he buy them in earnest or in irony." Or as Dave sits starving in the backseat of his neighbour's car and longingly mentions the good burger joint around the bend.

Let me just say, I know that fans will not be disappointed by the current offering and new comers will be charmed as I was ten years ago with my summer cottage find.

Oh, and I must just mention that Stuart and Jess and Spring came back this morning again to The Downtown Bookstore. I was up the street at the health food store and Andre was behind the counter.

A man and girl approach the counter,

Man: "I guess it was your wife I was talking to yesterday."

Andre: "I have no idea who you were talking to yesterday."

Man: "Yes, Hazel. We stopped by yesterday morning."

Andre: "If you say so. Is there something I can help you with?"

Man: "Well I'm Stuart McLean. We thought we'd stop in for coffee."

Andre: (mortified) "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. Why didn't you speak. I'd have know your voice."


He was still there when I got back and we had another little visit. So, it looks like I've got a new friend! I'm into double digits now. Thanks for all those great emails, by the way.