Because of the Santa Claus parade along Bloor Street Sunday afternoon, the streets were jammed with fun-seeking families, which meant the subways were too.

I was astonished at how much gear some people packed with them. I've gone camping with less stuff than these yutzes took to watch a parade for a few hours.

Anyways, at Bloor station, the crowd was backed up right outside.

The first set of stairs going down to the mezzanine (home of the coffee and bake shops, along with the news stand) was a real choke point for human traffic.

Imagine my amazement when a woman of considerable girth has her arm stretched out to the right to hold the hand of a carry-on-sized boy. The poor lad appears to be suffering from vertigo as he navigates the steps.

"That's it, Matthew, you're doing really good!" she said in her best self-esteem-building voice.

Two suggestions:

1. Have Matthew walk in front of you as you hold both his arms up. That way, you won't block off most of the stairs.

2. Carry Matthew down the stairs, even at the risk of setting back his physical development by an hour or so.

But really, lady, do you think the two of you walking down the stairs, side by side, at 0.1 kilometres per hour while there's literally hundreds of people stuck behind you is such a good idea?

Sheesh.