Faces of Toronto: Clinton

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I am pleased to introduce Clinton. I found him at Nathan Phillips Square finishing a telephone call and on his way to listen to the TD Canada Trust Jazz Festival beside the white tents. His hair and beard piqued my camera's interest and I decided I wanted to learn his story.

He moved to Canada with his wife from the rural area of Guyana more than thirty years ago in search of the "dream". She was from a more urban area of Guyana and his family didn't approve of the "city girl". They left their homeland to start a new life together in Canada, living on both coasts and many places in between as he worked as a school teacher. It was a good life for many years

The marriage ended after more than two decades and they went their separate ways. He is now retired and collects his pension while travelling around the city with his marble-mouthed male dragon cane. He is a painter but has no room left to display his work in his home. The walls are filled and he has returned to his passion of writing. He has published an autobiography that also contains his poetry and is working on self publishing his next work.

Clinton is educated, artistic and philosophical and his motto is "Wherever you are, be happy".

Toronto is filled with faces and most don't get the chance to hear the stories behind them. We are all busy in our lives and connections are often wireless, faceless and lacking in personal touches. Clinton is my first introduction to the Faces of Toronto and there are only several million to go.