In memoriam: Shirley Thomson
I had originally intended that this blog be exclusively about Scrabble and boardgaming, but a person who had an enormous impact on my life died earlier this week and I wanted to use this space to pay tribute to her.
The first time I met Shirley Thomson was on my first day at work at the Canada Council for the Arts in 1999. I had, of course, seen her before at National Gallery openings and other arts events, but had never spoken to her directly. She wasn't in on the interviews for my job at the Council -- she left that to her subordinates -- and when I was introduced to her in the elevator I was quite nervous about being in the presence of this formidable woman.
Three days later, Shirley stormed into my office waving a copy of the Globe and Mail. She obviously didn't like something she read in the paper, as her words were "what is this crap?" , as she pointed to the story in question, While I was somewhat taken aback by this imposing, elegant woman using that four-letter word, it also made me realize that there was a lot more to Shirley Thomson than meets the eye,
I worked closely with Shirley until her retirement as the Council's director in 2002. I arranged her media interviews, wrote some of her speeches and travelled with her to a variety of meetings and events across the country. During that time, I came to know the person behind the persona - and an amazing person she was. She told me about her childhood as a bookish, somewhat eccentric youngster in St,. Mary's, Ontario; about her divorce from a political science professor (whose works I had studied in university) and her subsequent decision to go after her PhD when she was in her forties. We were both closet smokers then, and snuck out for cigarette breaks whenever -we could. And once -- just once -- I literally saw her with her hair down, when the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night in the hotel she and I were staying at. Now I knew for sure what that iconic topknot was made of -- long, long natural hair. r
One of my favourite stories happened shortly before a federal election. She was intereviewed by the Toronto Star during one of her many visits to Toronto, and was asked "what do you think will happen to arts funding if the Canadian Alliance gets elected?". Without thinking, she uttered two words: "we're toast". Later on, I asked her whether or not that comment was a little imprudent, given that the Canada Council was a non-partisan agency and she reported to the government. She acknowledged that maybe she shouldn't have said it, but added "but it's true, isn't it?"
I repeatedly offered to ghostwrite Shirley's memoirs, and she always said "no, I'm not ready for that yet". Earler this week, a former colleague at the Council e-mailed me the news of her death at the age of 80, which came as a shock. Shirley was so dynamic, so vital, that I thought she would keep going forever, and I can't imagine a world without her. Goodbye, Shirley -- I'll miss you.