Until last weekend, it had been more than six years since I’d been in Canada. I had my car in the Western Canadian Nationals Car Show, but the car show isn’t the story, although it was stunning in and of itself.

This is about the community of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and how the community responded the four days I spent there.

I was by myself when I arrived at the Super 8 Hotel, but when I left, I felt I had friends all over the city, which has about the same population as Minot and is situated along the Trans Canada Highway about 50 miles west of Regina.

Local radio station CHAB calls Moose Jaw “the friendly city,” and I can see why. People went out of their way to accommodate this American stranger who was in town for the car show.

But when I told people who I am and where I’m from, it got even better. I got to Moose Jaw a day early so I made it a point to get around town. Whether it was filling gas, getting supplies at Canadian Tire, eating at Tim Horton’s, stopping in to the Chamber of Commerce or even asking for directions on a downtown street, it was as if there was a red carpet in front of me.

Here are some examples.
The car show was just outside of town, but I didn’t have an address. I saw a guy walking down the sidewalk so I asked him where the Anderson complex was. Not only did he tell me, he said his cousin was hosting the show and asked me if there was anything else he could do for me while I’m in Moose Jaw.

On Friday night, there was a meet and greet for the car show. I was standing in a food line like everyone else. A lady behind me asked me if I was a celebrity and that she thought I looked like a celebrity. I told her no, but I would play along with it.

She asked me who I really am and when I told her, I suddenly had friends all around me. It was an amazing feeling to be able to relax and have some fun amongst people I’ve never seen before.

One of the guys who was there for the car show, asked me how I was being treated in Moose Jaw. I described something similar to what you just read. He said, “good, because we all want you to enjoy your stay.

A woman was selling merchandise at the meet and greet. She asked me where I was from and when I told her, I got this response. “Thank you for coming to Moose Jaw. We just love you guys (Americans). God bless you for being here.”

I stopped in to Canadian Tire to get a cooler because Saturday was brutally hot. I asked an employee where the restroom was and not only did he tell me, he walked with me to the door to make sure I found it and struck up a conversation about the hot weather.

At one point, I was just standing in the hotel lobby and a man came in and proceeded to tell the lady working behind the desk that he just loved the Trans Am in the parking lot and he just had to take a picture of it. He said he’d really like to take it for a spin.

At that point, I reached in my pocket and handed him the keys. He didn’t know what to say, but finally admitted he was shocked the owner was standing right there. He told me he was a construction foreman who was staying in the same hotel. He said he has a thing for Trans Ams and Camaros.

The breakfast room was really busy so I asked an elderly couple if I could sit with them. They agreed and asked me who I am. I told them my name and he said his name is Baker too. Turns out their names are Jim and Laura Baker. We had quite a conversation about numerous topics including Baker family history.

But this next example is what really sealed the weekend for me. Several people stopped by my car at the show and started asking me questions about it. There was a young man in the group roughly 16 or 17 years old. He said he really likes third-generation Trans Ams and hopes he gets one some day. He asked me if the car is for sale. I told him no, but put my hand on his shoulder and said everything is for sale if the price is right.

Then, his dad asked me how people were treating me in Moose Jaw and I told him the city has really gone above and beyond on my behalf and I gave several examples.

The young man who liked my car, just shrugged his shoulders, looked at his mom and then said to me, “That’s just being Canadian.”