This First Person article is the experience of Sarah Gilbert, a writer in Montreal. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
Montreal was cold, grey and in the middle of a recession when I showed up in November 1990 looking for a job. My timing was questionable.
The bony branches of late fall clawed the sky. Barren ovals sat in the parks, waiting to become ice rinks. Night fell early. Every other storefront on Parc Avenue appeared to be à louer (for rent).
As a bookworm, when I learned they were hiring at a bookstore café, I applied.
