THE VICOMTESSE
The woman calls herself by this title,
Answer: What is Vicomtesse?
The suitcase lady says her suitcase is full of these, not possessions.
Answer: What is dreams?
The woman had a brief marriage when she was this age.
Answer: What is 20?
Christie McLaren was a student at this university when she wrote the article as part of her English co-op work experience.
Answer: What is the University of Waterloo?
The woman admits she does this on the street to get money — "I don't like it, but I have to."
What is (panhandle)
The woman is described as having this color hair and wearing a dress of this color.
Answer: What is red hair and a purple dress?
She carefully unzips the suitcase and pulls out a sheaf of papers, calling them "my ___."
Answer: What are concertos?
Her son lives in this city and is now 40 years old.
Answer: What is Toronto?
McLaren wrote the article while reporting for this major Toronto newspaper.
What is the Globe and Mail?
She says this is "the only pleasure I got."
What is her cigarette?
The Vicomtesse's mother was named this.
Answer: Who is Savaria?
Her concertos are neatly written musical notes, but these lines are missing from them.
Answer: What are bar lines?
She says she and her son never got along because of this reason — "He never call me mama."
Answer: What is she didn't bring him up (she was too poor)?
Answer: What is she didn't bring him up?
"The Suitcase Lady" first appeared in print in this year.
Answer: What is 1981?
A long time ago, she made this amount of money on a Saturday and had to make it last through Sunday too.
What is $27?
The woman grew up as the child of a poor family in this Canadian city.
Answer: What is Montreal?
Each concerto has a French name; one is called "Tresor," another "La Tempete," and the third is this.
Answer: What is Le Retour?
These workers at the doughnut shop bring her food and look upon her with compassion; they persuaded their boss her sitting does no harm.
Answer: Who are the waitresses?
After graduation, McLaren spent a year and a half at this newspaper before returning to the Globe.
Answer: What is the Winnipeg Free Press?
Nowadays, she estimates she makes this amount of money, and eats "very poor."
Answer: What is $7 or $8?
The Vicomtesse is this many years old.
Answer: What is 60?
Besides the concertos, she shyly produces a round plastic box containing this item, which she proudly puts on like a little girl.
Answer: What is a tiara?
When asked about loneliness, she says she talks only to this group, "sometimes, in the park."
Answer: Who are the elderly?
McLaren said this about writing: "Writing is nothing but pain while you're doing it and nothing but ___ when it's done."
What is relief?
She smokes this brand of cigarettes and drinks this beverage, both mentioned as being on her table.
Answer: What are Player's cigarettes and a pot of tea?