Bob Picked Number Three

Yesterday downtown Toronto, Bob had a choice.

Not which lens.
Not which camera.
Not even which route.

Just a number.

One.
Two.
Or three.

And Bob picked number three.

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Why Three?

Because three is balance.

Three masts on a tall ship sitting frozen in the harbour.
Three orange construction signs glowing against grey winter streets.
Three workers standing on scaffolding like a modern-day Group of Seven — but in hard hats.

When Bob started his photo walk, he didn’t know that “three” would follow him all afternoon. But it did.

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Stop 1 – The Harbour

The boats were wrapped in plastic like forgotten Christmas presents. Ice pressed up against their hulls. And there it was — the tall ship with three masts standing proud in the mist.

Not sailing.
Not moving.
Just waiting.

Bob loves that about Toronto in winter. Everything pauses. The city breathes slower. Even the lake seems to think before it moves.

Three masts.
Number three was already winning.

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Stop 2 – Jack Layton Ferry Terminal

Three ticket windows open.
Three numbers staring back at him: 3… 4… 5…

Bob smiled.

He’s walked past the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal in summer when it’s packed with island-bound crowds. But yesterday? Quiet. Wet pavement. A little snow clinging to the bricks. The kind of day most people stay home.

But Bob doesn’t.

Because the quiet days tell better stories.

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Stop 3 – The Puddles

Downtown Toronto in February is not glamorous. It’s puddles, slush, reflections of buildings that look like they’re melting into the asphalt.

Bob crouched low and saw it — three strong vertical reflections slicing through the water.

He doesn’t over-edit his photos. He records them. Snapshots of time. The way the city really looks. Cold. Honest. Real.

Three reflections.

Still number three.

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Stop 4 – Construction Season (Yes, Even in Winter)

If Toronto had a national bird, it would be the orange construction cone.

Bob walked under the overpass and there they were — three bright orange signs in a row:

⚠️ Worker
⚠️ Construction
⚠️ Lane Shift

Three warnings.

Three reminders that Toronto is always building something.

And then the moment: a worker jogging toward him in the rain. Another two standing above on scaffolding.

Three workers.
Three layers of the city — street, scaffold, skyline.

Bob doesn’t chase perfection. He chases moments. And yesterday the moment came in threes.

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Stop 5 – The Blue Valves

At the end of the walk, Bob spotted three massive blue water valves sitting curbside like industrial sculptures.

Three circles.
Three openings.
Three heavy-duty pieces of infrastructure that no one else was photographing.

But Bob was.

Because someone has to document the everyday bones of the city.

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What Number Three Really Meant

Three isn’t lucky.

Three is structure.

Beginning.
Middle.
End.

Harbour.
Terminal.
Construction.

Water.
Steel.
Concrete.

Bob didn’t plan it. He just chose number three for the route option on his downtown walk.

But sometimes the city decides to lean into your choice.

And yesterday, Toronto gave him:

• Three masts

• Three ticket booths

• Three warning signs

• Three workers

• Three valves

That’s street photography.

You walk.
You notice.
You commit to a direction.

And sometimes, the number you pick at the start becomes the story.

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Bob will probably pick another number next time.

But yesterday?

Number three won.