This has been a slow e-mail day so I thought I would share this story.
Glenn Gould hated crossing the border between Canada and the USA. I am sure this is one of the reasons he did all his recording in later years in Toronto.
For those of you who have not made the crossing, let me tell you this, it is rarely pleasant. Neither country is noted for having tactful border patrol officers. Glenn was strip searched once. Even when this was not done to him he hated this time consuming affair. Things are worse now. If any of you Americans are thinking about coming here to visit GG sites, beware.
I read this in the morning paper.
"Friday afternoon, a Winnipeg Free Press sports reporter had to give up his salami sandwich at the border because it contained a few slices of the banned product.
American agriculture officials temporarily banned beef imports from Canada last week after a lone case of mad cow disease was found in Alberta.
'No beef means no beef,' said Mike Milne, a public affairs officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Seattle.
When it comes to the beef ban, U.S. border guards aren't cutting corners - even for cold cuts.
'A meat sandwich that was made from beef is prohibited from entering the U.S.,' explained Miline.
'They looked in my trunk, checked my suitcase and stole my sandwich.'
Lawless said he was given the choice of either finishing the half-eaten sandwich or turning it over to the guard for disposal.
I suppose GG never got caught with a meat sandwich.