Canadian Tourette’s syndrome : its real-and i have it.

what is it?

well here’s an account of how it strikes : i am a canadian-who’s been living in America (los Angeles) for almost a more than a decade and this sort of thing is a regular occurrence :

say im at a dinnerparty..mingling amongst a group of grownups. we are amid a discussion of music – discussing our all-time bestever cd’s, and someone says…..”oh , nirvana-nevermind” someone else says ” pink floyd -the wall ” and another chirps in with “harvest-NeilYoung”:…And ..STOP: this is when it happens..-

…..a common name, innocently comes up ..and all of a sudden im charley babbit’s brother. Raingirl-no impulse control. must spread information. jeopardy:430…. i cant help it..im compelled ..i really don’t even think aboot it…l just do it.

“hes’ Canadian” -.

Huh??..everyone looks at me funny and usually grins a little sympathetically…or just tries to ignore the weird blurting girl to their left ( me). It’s bizarre -i know-but it happens -kind of alot. like, every time im out in public and i hear “Leonard cohen” or “william shatner” …its like a patriotic chip has been implanted in me and i must spread the seed of info on who we, as canadians , have dibs on. same with if i meet canadians ..and there are a shitload of us here. i still get ridiculously excited. as do they,mostly.(my fellow canucks)- Sure, people try to act cool.

Like..

” oh yeah im from there..originally but i really…i never go back blah blah..’ but, when i feel a coolness from a fellow canuck..all i need do is throw a little Canadian on them…perhaps make a tragicallyhip refrence…or start to hum the theme to

‘or mention

and almost without fail-they lose all amarican posturing and melt.

“Canadians Among us. “

the concept was put into form after a friend of mine immediately thought of me when she heard a broadcast of

ira glass’ This American Life,, describing the phenom of “Canadians Among us. ”