King Lear in the Ontario Court of Justice

For the last few days I have had the dubious honour of spending most mornings at the College Park criminal courts. The courts are filled with the poor, the deranged, the frightened and yes, sometimes, the vicious and wicked.

I noticed, every day, a distinguished looking older man dressed neatly but in old clothes. He had a long beard but was not unkempt. He stared ahead without affect; he reminded me of an old fashioned performer doing Lear.

So far as I could see he was there without any legal requirement. He spent the day, every day, quietly sitting in the public area.

Why was he there? A lost soul? Who's to say -- there are plenty of them here.