CHARLIE WATTS

There’s this guy who looks just like Charlie Watts who works the cash at a pizza counter in a downtown office building’s food court here. I swear. Ottawa readers or those passing through Ottawa, it’s the World Exchange Plaza, second floor. Can’t remember the name of the place, but they sell slices and pasta. And this Charlie Watts dude works there, nice as you please, a very sweet old gent, and I’ve started seeing him in my neighbourhood lately, so I think maybe he lives around here now. And whenever I see the Charlie Watts dude I think about why the real Charlie Watts is living in a mansion in the south of France and, as he says, single-handedly keeping Saville Row in business, all while running his big band and anchoring what is inarguably one of the greatest bands of rock and roll, whereas the Charlie Watts dude is wearing a green apron and serving up slices to businessmen all day.

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