I wrote this post months ago and only now am realizing I never shared it. So, if you enjoy reading my random mutterings, here’s another one for you!

I need to preface this story with a few facts. The first, I live for unique experiences. I’ve always made every effort to live my life to the fullest and yearn for experiences that allow me to tell stories. Spontaneity and adventure are two of my most favourite things.

Also, I love Bigfoot. Like really, love Bigfoot. Of all the cryptozoology creatures, Sasquatch is the one I’ll do my best to convince anyone who will listen to my wild theories, is the real deal. And I’m only a tiny bit joking about this.

So now, onto the story about how I met Bigfoot…

When my cousin emailed our family to tell everyone that my Grandma wasn’t doing well I knew I needed to pack up and make the trip out to Edmonton to see her before it was too late. I had just finished a tour at work and only had 70 hours before I had to work again but I was going to make it there one way or another. After a late visit at the hospital I chose a hotel at random to crash for the night before going back to see her again in the morning. It was close to 01:00 when my sister, Regan and I walked through the doors of the Chateau Nova, bags over our shoulders and under our eyes. We were greeted by a tall, burly man with a pleasant smile. I looked up to meet his greeting but stopped at his name tag. It said Bigfoot. I laughed and told him I loved his name tag. He laughed quietly and so I pushed and said, “No really, I LOVE your name tag. I’m a huge fan of Bigfoot”.

“Do you want to see something?” He asked while pulling out his phone.

Regan took a step backward, while I excitedly leaned in and yelled, “Yes!! I do!” It was at this point in me telling Aaron the story that he interrupted me, noting, “You do realize there’s an incredibly real possibility that this man who calls himself Bigfoot was pulling out his phone to show you a photo of his junk, right?” I told him I was willing to take that chance.

Regan, now a few feet away from this conversation, likely contemplating her exit strategy asks from a distance, “Is the point in the conversation I tell you to stop talking to strangers?”

“No, Regan. It’s not. We are bonding over a common love for Bigfoot and this is very important.”

Bigfoot pulls out his phone, scrolls through some photos and finds what he’s looking for. He passes his phone over to me with a smile on his face. I eagerly grabbed at his phone and on it is a photo of Bigfoot (like THE Sasquatch) sitting on a fallen tree in a forest, reading a newspaper.

“That’s me!!” He exclaimed.

I started doing my happy dance, jumping with excitement and told him he HAD to get me a copy of that photo. He didn’t really say anything, he just smiled and told me about the circumstances that led to him wearing a Bigfoot costume in the middle of a forest. He had been cast in a tv show a few years back and after making a mental note of the show and thanking him for showing me the photo we set off to out room. As soon as we got to the room I started Googling him and found the episode of the show he was on. I had been watching it for a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. I looked through the peep hole and Bigfoot was standing on the other side. I opened the door and blurted, “I’m watching your show!” “How on earth did you find it?!” he asked. “My research skills are impeccable,” I replied. He laughed and handed me an envelope. I took it and asked, “Is this our bill?”He shook his head and immediately I knew what was inside. I tore the envelope open and excitedly pulled out an autographed 8×10 of the photo he had showed me on his phone. I thanked him profusely for making my week and off he went.

A few days after this my grandma passed away and I found myself back in Edmonton for her funeral. I already knew I had stay at Chateau Nova and Bigfoot was there to check me in again. He recognized me right away and asked what my husband thought of the photo. I told him Aaron thought it was hilarious. I didn’t mention that Aaron also thinks that I’m wildly eccentric and weird but that’s beside the point. As he was checking me in I had mentioned I thought there may have been a mix up with our rooms as I booked for my parents too and was pretty sure they got my room when they checked in earlier. He said he could see the error and would fix it up for me. When I walked into my room I saw that he had “fixed” it by booking me into a huge suite. It pays to make friends with Bigfoot!

Humour aside, it’s the little things like these interactions that make my heart so happy. And, I don’t think Bigfoot realizes it but the multiple trips to Edmonton were not for happy reasons. Saying goodbye to my last living grandparent was awful. But, he brought a smile to my face when it was much needed and that signed photo is now hanging on my office wall as a constant reminder that when given the opportunity, you should always make friends with Bigfoot.