Every August my dad would take us to Progress Mens Wear in Lethbridge--even when we no longer lived there--so that we could have fresh duds for the start of the school year. The store was owned by a man named Cyril who used to greet people coming into his shop with "What can I sell you today?". In later years, Cyril sat behind the cash desk, only the top of his head visible. But in the summer, there was always a bowl of peaches on the counter, so you knew you were welcome. In front of Progress, there were a couple of diagonal parking spots--in later years equipped with the double Martian cyclops type meters. Around the back, the Progress looked its true 1930s self. But nowadays there is no sidewalk in front. Still, left over from the past, is a sign advertising that everything is "on sale at low low price". It's not that there were actual sale price tags on everything, or signage showing the original price crossed out with an oblique stroke by a bl...

Give us this Day is the online creative journal of Kurtis Kitagawa, PhD (Edinburgh), MPhil (Oxford), MA (Chicago), BA First Class Honours (Calgary), who, withal, considers himself a student of history. Check daily for freshly composed essays and offbeat creative writing inspired by a life spent in universities, government, and business. Job offers gratefully accepted. Alternative facts welcome, and will not be burned. Nor will their ashes be used as eye shadow!