Bringing perspective
to bare breasts
There is a phenomenon in Grand Bend.
No matter what time of day you travel the village's Main Street, there is almost
always a bottleneck in the traffic flow in front of Coco's bar.
It could be that the road is narrower there, but not likely. Perhaps a sidestreet
dumps its traffic into the flow at that point.
Maybe it's a popular spot for pedestrians to cross.
Or maybe, just maybe, it's because Mick Rappaport has business savvy .
You put the word 'topless' on a sign out front of your business and traffic will
stop and people will rubberneck.
(Rappaport jokes that chiropractors in Grand Bend can't handle the volume since
he opened.)
The local businessman has embraced the Ontario Court of Appeals ruling on toplessness
for women like no one else. He saw it as an opportunity to promote his business
and doesn't seem to be bothered that it gooses much of the Grand Bend population
at the same time.
Not surprisingly, party town Grand Bend has been a focal point as Ontario breathlessly
awaits breast sightings since the ruling of the court last winter.
And now that it (occassionally) has warmed up, people are finally having to deal
with it.
And media outlets and Rappaport have all but assured it will be dealt with here.
It's impossible for it to not be an issue.
But is the prospect of a hot woman cooling off by doffing her top really worthy
of all the consternation it seems to be causing?
The Grand Bend residents association thinks so. They want it kept off the streets
and on the beach.
Mike Harris has said the same thing.
Some business owners in Grand Bend also agree ... it's okay on the beach, but keep
your breasts off our streets.
Apparently, the beach is a magical place where a woman's breasts will not cause
small children to go blind if they inadvertenly gaze upon them.
However, the next time you find yourself in heated debate over whether or not this
is morally, hygienically or politcally wrong, take a deep breath and consider carefully
what it is you're arguing about.
Then remember, at the same time you're discussing breasts, hospitals are closing,
unemployment is skyrocketing and Canada lost to the U.S. in the World Cup of Hockey.
Perspective.