I love walks of shame. I'll readily admit that there's a certain amount of schadenfreude involved. But how can you not take some sort of perverse glee in the unsteady gait of someone shuffling home at 8 a.m., squinting against the morning sun, still dressed in their party clothes from the night before?
Anyone who says it hasn't happened to them is either lying or a member of the clergy.
I spent seven years living in Ottawa and July 2 was my absolute favourite day for these so-called walks of shame. But in the nation's capital, it's more like a badge of honour because there's a whole lot of party to be had in that city on July 1 and every reason to stay out all night. (How else would I know what everyone else looks like in those early morning hours?)
So today, I salute everyone nationwide who is just creeping in the front door as the paper hits the doorstep, still garbed in red and white, perhaps with a slightly smudged maple leaf temporary tattoo. It was the 147th birthday of the greatest country in the world and we've all earned the right to let loose.
To score today's strut of pride, I'm offering No Sleep, by Canadian treasure Sam Roberts Band. The song, from 2003's We Were Born in a Flame, is just upbeat enough to help you put one foot in front of the other, but mellow enough not to agitate a throbbing head. The track, which you can listen to on YouTube (http://youtu.be/NV_Rb2ksxq0) is even bilingual - in case you didn't get your fill of CanCon yesterday.
