So I'm off to Cowpootown tomorrow. Cowpootown being another name for Cowtown, being another name for Calgary, being another name for . . . ahh forget it. As an Edmontonian it is my solemn duty to insult Calgary at every oppoortunity, but the fact is I kind of like going there. To visit only, mind you. A very important person in my life is getting married on Saturday, so I am braving the cold, the wind, the ice and the snow to be there for her. Actually, Morna will be the one facing the elements, since she has Kindly and Valiantly Offered to give me a ride. My own car, as trustworthy as it has proven over the years, may not be up to the challenge this time.
Many years ago, when I was a Young and Naive Lad of 13, from the small town of Hinton, I decided to go to Calgary for Spring Break and stay with my aunt and uncle. It was great, my first real expereince in a "Big City" on my own, more or less. I went to Canada Olympic Park, which Rinlee informs me was once called Paskapoo Park. But my real desire was to go downtown and see Skyscrapers! I grew up in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, and my big desire in life was to see some tall buildings. Anyways, I informed my aunt of my plan, and she told me I better study a transit map to figure out how to get there and back. This seemed like a waste of time to me since I knew that all buses eventually went to all stops in the city, as that was how transit worked. I would just hop on the first bus I saw, get off at the Calgary Tower, and when I was ready, catch whatevr bus was handy and go home. The first part of my plan worked beautifully, as my first bus driver happened to ask me where I was headed, and put me on a different bus (I figured he was going on his coffee break and put me on his buddy's bus) that took me right downtown. Sadly, I learned a painful lesson that night as I took a random bus and got very thoroughly lost and had to call my aunt to come rescue me. That started a Long and Venerable Tradition of me getting lost in Calgary. But luckily I always end up at Market Mall for some reason and can find my way from there.