The other night I went to an event hosted by an organization I work with, called the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, CPAWS for short. The evening was intended to raise awareness about a beautiful, wild and remote region of Canada called the Nahanni. It’s in NWT, and it’s not likely that any of us will ever visit, but it’s worth keeping this slice of wilderness in a pristine condition. I won’t get into all the details here. But if you’re interested you could read up on it here. And voice your concerns about its preservation here too. It will only take a few minutes of your time. If the Powers That Be realize how important our wilderness is to us, they’ll take steps to preserve it.
Anyway… the evening started a little strangely.
I had an extra ticket, and was told by J., one of the main organizers, that a fellow named Lyndon was desperate for this extra ticket. She didn’t know Lyndon personally, only that he spoke to her on the phone for 20 minutes about how badly he wanted a ticket. The only information I had about him was that he was about 6ft tall and would be wearing something lime-green coloured. I agreed to wait in the lobby of the National Library/Archives (where the event was being held) and sell him my ticket to this sold-out event.
I waited. And waited. I had been there for about 20 minutes when I saw J. come in the main door with a group of people that included Justin Trudeau. Oh, there’s Justin! I have a soft spot in my heart for Justin Trudeau. J waved at me. Everyone in the group turned towards me.
“Has he come yet?” I knew she was referring to my lime green fellow.
I shook my head no. “I’m still waiting.”
She walked past. With Justin. I am fairly sure he thought I was some poor girl who was stood up by her date.
FYI, a few minutes later I did see a blast of neon lime green making its way towards me from about 800m down the street. Could it be? Yes, must be him… definitely a six-footer with red hair and a v.v. bright green shirt.
I approached him. Nervously. For some reason I pointed at him.
“Are you waiting for someone?” What I should have said was: Are the fellow who needs an extra ticket? Doh. Must. Learn. To. Speak.
He replied in the negatory. Apparently this six-foot guy in the lime green shirt was not the six-foot guy in the lime green shirt I was looking for. Go figure.
I waited for a couple more minutes and gave up. I sold my ticket to someone else. Tough luck Lyndon.
So, yes, back to Justin Trudeau.
A few of us will remember the moving eulogy he delivered when his father, former prime minister Pierre Eliot Trudeau died in October 2000. CBC has archived video of this event. It’s about 12 minutes long. Haven’t seen it? Watch it. If you have, I recommend you watch it again, all 12 minutes of it, even if you remember that day almost five years ago.
He is a wonderful speaker – natural and funny – and has a way of putting things that make one think.
The organizers of this event saved him for last. He was by far the best speaker. At the end of the event he came into the audience (he was with his mother Margaret) and was immediately mobbed. I waited a few minutes while people filed past me. I was hoping to get in there and shake his hand and tell him how passionately he spoke on the topic of the Nahanni. (OK, I was secretly hoping that he’d realize what a fun woman I am and ask me if I wanted to grab a coffee). But I lost my nerve. I was RIGHT THERE and then I walked away. Crap. I will probably never have the opportunity again. *sigh*
In case you’re wondering, Mark said he’d have no problem if Justin and I went for coffee. I am free to look at the menu, but just not order. :)
