Jonzun Riley is a slacker, paralyzed by a recent separation from his wife, and living off whatever form of government assistance is most easily attainable. His life teeters between adventure and stereotype: a bigoted brother, a Skin Bracer drinking derelict, a spoiled new-age lover and a drifting best-friend are all, like him, facsimiles of real people, as opposed to real characters. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes problematic when Smith couples these half- characters with depictions of the harsh truth of the streets: “He was walking…past the tired gimmicks of every street beggar and every converter of the crazed cause,” the narrator explains in a less than inspiring description of the street-life in front of the Eaton Centre. Still, there are some good stories in this short collection. The Great Salmon Hunt, in particular, is memorable both for its send-up of rich fat white guys and for its depiction of Toronto as seen from Lake Ontario — Riley is employed by a man who promises to keep him on the pay-roll long enough to qualify for UI again. This generous fellow runs a small operation to take people fishing out on Lake Ontario. Enter our two fat rich guys — stereotypes, yes, but funny ones — who drink Coors beer, puke into the rolling waves (of course) and almost win the $100,000 Toronto Star prize for biggest catch of the season.
Vern Smith / publisher: Rush Hour Revisions (785 Dovercourt Road, Suite C, Toronto, ON M6H 2X1) / $14.95