For this group of men, the act of getting together weekly has become more than a group lunch. It’s another mark on the calendar but also a routine start for the week ahead. On a blustery winter’s day, we had the chance to sit down, grab a cup of coffee, and join them for their lunch, sharing in the day’s conversations and learning a bit more about one another in the process.
For this group, there were no master plans at the start. In fact, there are no original members left, the group tells us. Its origins trace back to an older friendship, older even than the current group – with two men who met regularly, sometimes weekly, and sometimes simply over the phone with a dram of whisky on a Friday afternoon. And from there, its members grew. When two of those early members passed away, the habit of meeting remained, the group shifted, and carried on to become what it is today.
Men of Monday
The men who gather are known to our town for more than the roles they once offered. As the table begins to fill, jackets are draped over chairs and coffees are poured without asking. Around the table stories begin, overlapped with decades of experience in business, service, creativity and history. With it a subtle imprint of the town they’ve helped shape emerges.
Wynn Walters spent 28 years in the community, arriving first as a business executive and later becoming a sculptor whose work includes the well-known statues of Sam Sharpe and Lucy Maud Montgomery. John Milne, a long-time resident and marketing professor at York University, brings curiosity and an academic lens to the conversation. George Pratt married an “Uxbridge girl” and has spent years as an entrepreneur and an active force in trail development and maintenance. George and Wynn share the commute, living near one another. Mark Christoff is known to everyone at the table and beyond – mostly due to his connection to the Roxy Theatres of Uxbridge, revived by him and his wife Cathy in the mid nineties. Tom Fowle, a retired civil engineer deeply involved in planning and culvert oversight, joined this chapter of his life after losing his wife a year ago. Ron Hunter, a retired dentist who has lived in Uxbridge seemingly forever, knows everyone and likely treated half of them.
John McCutcheon, once a regular, was a key figure in trail development and spearheaded the resurrection of the trestle bridge. A major philanthropist, his multi-million-dollar support of freshwater initiatives changed the region for the better. He still attends semi-regularly but less often since losing his wife four years ago. Other names – Bob Shepard, Gerry Gates, Phil Joseph – come up in conversation. Some have aged out, some have passed away, but all remain part of the story. There is always a presence felt for those not at the table.
Monday’s Matter Most
They once met on Thursdays. Mondays came later, for practical reasons mostly. When asked why they meet on a Monday?
“Well, Wixan’s Bridge is always open on Monday’s,” they say with a chuckle.
The staff at Wixan’s always keeps a large round table reserved for the group. Mondays are one of the quieter days for the business, it seems, so there’s no standing commitments and no rush, they tell us. Starting the week this way sets the tone for these men. The table itself has become a constant no matter who is sitting around it.
The relationship with the proprietors matters too. The faces are familiar and orders aren’t written down. The feeling of being known, becomes part of the attraction. “Think of the bar in Cheers, where everyone knows your name” – as the group puts it. Presumably, this same gathering exists in some way at every small town café, pub, or restaurant. Groups of men and women of all ages carving out a regular space for community. In places like England, pub culture plays a similar role, the group says. And here, for these gentlemen, it’s a long-standing lunch which happens to be on a Monday.
Conversations (and Why They Matter)
The rhythm of conversation picks up exactly where it left off the week before. So, what do they talk about? Almost anything and almost nothing. Federal and Municipal politics. Town council decisions. American politics. Big topics or small ones, debated and challenged without extremes.
As Wynn puts it, “guys talk about things.” The conversation rarely drifts into deep personal territory, though sometimes they do. And when they do, the table holds it quietly.
Their lunch is not about solving the world’s problems. Next week’s headlines (local or away) will replace this week’s or further add to the discussion. w they say. What matters is simply showing up and engaging with the day’s conversation.
Who’s most likely to be late?
No one, if anything, they’re more likely to be early.
Who never cancels?
There are no cancelations, whoever shows up, shows up! But most consistent is Tom.
Who never misses a Monday?
Everyone does on occasion. Life happens, everyone has other commitments or appointments that arise.
Who brings the best stories?
Phil brought the best stories, the group says. John is a pretty good story teller. Mark entertains as well!
Who talks the most? Who listens the most?
Resounding – Mark
Who keeps the group laughing?
An easy answer, John and Mark.
Coffee or beer?
Coffee is today’s choice. It used to be beer. Now, the occasional Corona Zero finds its way to the table.
If this group had a name, what would it be?
On the Christmas card the group left for Wixan’s staff they signed it, quite simply, “Men of Monday.”
Other Tables in Town
Their weekly meeting isn’t a rare one, the group tells us. You’ll see similar meet-ups, say at the hockey arena before or after a game or maybe neighbours who gather in garages for shop talk. It shows up everywhere around town if you know where to look, you just have to make a conscious effort.
Uxbridge itself plays a role in creating space for these groups to occur naturally. The town’s trails, arts community, and events like the Uxbridge Studio Tour have drawn many of these men here in the first place, they tell us. Art, nature, and shared town-pride create grounds for connection.
Like many typical Canadian towns, there’s a rhythm to life here in Uxbridge that encourages one to amble and converse – a friendly wave while walking your pet on the trails, a quick exchange at the local café, or a laugh shared at a special event. People don’t just live here, they’re part of a community.
Wynn notes that the Aquafit classes bring groups of local women together to swim, and is often accompanied with a cup of coffee afterwards. Book clubs too, are a major source of community, with more than 20 of them across town, these groups offer another version of the same commitment. The Lucy Maud Montgomery book club, for example, has been meeting for more than a century, they say. People gather around books, yes but they also gather around each other.
Regular meetups such as these serve an essential function, especially for our older residents. As people age, social circles naturally shrink. Friends move away, people have health challenges and some pass on. It’s often not intentional, but isolation does happen. Frequent meetings and gatherings help counter that, helping people keep track of one another. If someone doesn’t show up, it’s noticed. One of the simplest ways to sustain well-being as we age is through engaging with the community.
The Table That Waits
The Monday group is not exclusive. Over the years, members have invited themselves, been welcomed, and stayed. The commitment is simple – show up when you can, the table will be there regardless. That may be the most important lesson this group offers. Friendships don’t always require some grand gesture, usually it’s enough to sit at the same table, week after week, and talk about the world as it is. To debate and of course to laugh!
There’s a comfort in knowing your seat doesn’t need to be reserved. In those weekly gatherings, jokes are shared, milestones are mentioned, and stories are told and retold – these are more than small moments grounded in familiarity. Every Monday, the table waits, and with it, the reminder that belonging is built through repetition and that friendships, when tended to regularly, can last a lifetime.
Special thanks to Wynn, John, George, Mark, Tom, and Ron for allowing us to sit in and join them for their Monday lunch.