Jack Layton, 1950-2011

When I learned about Jack Layton death today, I was with my cousin. He’s not even 20 yet that he had decided to come to Montreal to find a job and play his music in bars. He has some problems to find a job, so I decided to give him a hand to save my soul. At not even 20, I was still at home, enjoying life and I never had worked more than the 3 summer months of the school year. I mean, at not even 20, I didn’t know anything about resume, job interviews and, like him, at not even 20, I wasn’t bilingual, I was even worst that what I am now. I am mean real worst! Keeping in mind who I was when I wasn’t even 20, well, I decided to text him and asked him if he had find a job yet. He didn’t. But he had given it a try. So I told him I was going to help him.

That’s how we met this morning. He was wearing his long hair in a ponytail and was wearing sunglasses. And there, I remember how I felt when I was not even 20. Unconscious and knowing nothing about absolutely everything. We went to eat. I bring him at a Portuguese restaurant on St-Laurent at a place where they cook typical Portuguese chickens with their own spices. Absolutely delicious! It was my treat. Following what, we sat down at a cafe.

First of all, he still had a New Brunswick number. So I make him call his carrier from my cell phone to have his number change to a local Montreal number because he didn’t care about his New Brunswick number and also, well, it absolutely need to be change. We had the number change, and after that, I took a look at his resume. A very short one page long, with no task description, just very little info. So I told him, always for the best of my soul, that I will later review his resume...

Despite the very short resume, we run to a place where I knew there has a chance for him to get a job. I would have prefer for him to work in a restaurant, a shop or something like that, but despite the fact that I warm him about the job I was going to get him, well, he didn’t seem to care. I didn’t want to send a review resume to that place because I secretly would prefer him to work someplace else, any other place but that place. Anyhow, I brought him in, I refer him to the job. I am pretty sure he will get a job interview. But it’s not what I would have like for him. I cannot do miracle however. I will be waiting for that job response from him and if it doesn’t work, well from there, I will be working on his sweaty very little and short resume...

My soul count for something in it, but I was very happy to help him. It mean something to me.

While referring him, there was a TV on at the HR office and it’s there that I notice the picture of Jack Layton with the dates 1950-2011... I couldn’t believe it. I was totally, very devastated and I felt greatly sad for the lost, the man, the party I had voted for at the latest federal elections.

On the day I met my cousin in Montreal, Jack Layton died.