{
  "id": 12347124,
  "title": "Forgiving City, City of Atwood: Paul Theroux Visits Toronto",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/forgiving-city-city-of-atwood-paul-theroux-visits-toronto",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T09:09:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Literary Hub",
    "slug": "literary-hub",
    "url": "https://lithub.com/forgiving-city-city-of-atwood-paul-theroux-visits-toronto/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As I strolled through Toronto on my second day, the wind played with my hair as I marveled at the towering buildings that loomed before me. A blind man, dressed in a well-tailored camel-hair coat and scarf, strolled confidently beside me, sweeping his white cane ahead of him. The city's sidewalks were wide, but even then, this blind man's fearless strides were remarkable, navigating through the bustling traffic and cyclists with ease. I followed him for a block, observing his wary yet resolute demeanor.\n\nPast a woman distributing leaflets and a homeless man nestled in a sleeping bag, I encountered more sleeping figures or cooing pigeons near the grate vents. The blind man nimbly avoided the sleeping figure and continued his journey, navigating the busy intersection with the aid of his cane. We stood side by side at the traffic light, and he utilized his cane as an antenna to gauge the distance to the curb. With a friendly demeanor, he inquired if I could assist him, prompting me to ask when the light would turn green.\n\nThe blind man revealed his young age, a slight underbite, and a touch of grimness concealed behind his dark glasses. His perfectly groomed camel-hair coat and thick scarf added an air of elegance, even in the cold Toronto weather. I inquired about his vision, and he explained that he suffered from macular degeneration, granting him only peripheral vision, which had worsened over the years. With a smile, he requested to be led to a nearby bench, expressing his desire for a brief rest.\n\nAs we approached the bench, he seamlessly navigated the steps, sitting down calmly and continuing his account of his life as a blind man in Toronto. He had been blind for twenty years, previously an attorney who had shifted his focus to human rights advocacy. He mentioned living not too far from our location but needing to take the Metro to reach his destination. Despite his limited vision, he confidently asserted that Toronto was a forgiving city, orderly, and welcoming.\n\nConcluding our conversation, I extended my hand, introducing myself as Paul. He reciprocated the gesture, addressing me as Pattana and sharing that he was originally born in Toronto but had South Indian roots in Kerala. He humorously mentioned that only 15% of individuals with vision problems are totally blind, implying that many like himself had varying degrees of sight. He then excused himself, stating that he needed to visit the bank. With a reassuring smile, he confidently swept his cane as an indicator, walking towards the bank with grace and assurance.",
  "summary": "The Blind Man on Bloor Street On my second day in Toronto, buffeted by the wind, taking a morning walk, dwarfed and darkened in the shadows of the first tall buildings I’d seen in Canada, I came abreast of a",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}