Current at 11/6/2011 (Online waypoint URL) You have already found this cache! Master Index    Nearest Caches MBGA Club Night by MBGA (1.5/1.5) (Archived) N49° 53.639  W97° 08.612 (WGS84) UTM  14U   E 633336  N 5528496 Use waypoint: GC2HGNR Size: Not chosen    Hidden on 11/10/2010 In Manitoba, Canada Difficulty:     Terrain:                   Date: November 10, 2010 Time: 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Location: Moxie's Classic Grill, 300 Portage Avenue Mountain Equipment Co-op, 303 Portage Avenue will be open before the event for a few specific clubs (MBGA included). Please see www.mbgeocaching.com for more details. http://www.mbgeocaching.ca/node/780 Please head across the street to Moxie's Classic Grill, 300 Portage Avenue (which is family friendly - you are welcome to bring your kids) to have a bite to eat and visit with your fellow MBGAers. Reservation is for 7:30 pm.

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11/10/2010 by Kabuthunk
I have to admit... this is arguably the shortest time I've spent at an event, but by far the most stressful. Allow me to elaborate. By the way Dani... I would have stayed and chatted longer, but I was somewhat pressed for time, as you will see.

So I head over towards MEC after work, hoping to meet some geocachers, get things on sale here and there, and generally event it up as I've been promising to do. I quickly find an Impark parking lot basically right across the street from MEC, right at Ellis there. Good, fine... there's even some businessmen-looking people at the ticket machine, all fine and safe looking, and very close to the store. So I park and hop out of the car. About two steps after closing the car door, a guy comes up from the other side of the parking lot and asks for change. I say I have none, which I didn't. Two seconds later, a second one comes up and asks for change, and also remarks on how nice my jacket looks. The first guy also points out to my jacket, exclaiming how much they admire it.

At this point, I'm thinking "Oh wonderful, I'm not leaving this parking lot with my jacket. Thaaaat's about all I need right now."

Moments later, another two of of these gentlemen had come up to be near their friends, at this point leaving me with people generally both in front and behind me. So I say thanks, staying all happy, everyone's happy, I'll just keep going and do my thing and be done with this. Making my way to the ticket machine, I quickly discover that it only accepts change... no credit cards, nothing. Just change. Thaaaat's beautiful.

So I tell the fine individual, who had followed me to the ticket machine (the others hung back in the parking lot) that I don't have change, and thus cannot park here. I am afraid that I must now leave, unable to park. However, this helpful young man, who introduces himself as a member of the Cowboys gang (never heard of 'em, but like hell I'm going to say that) when shaking my hand, informs me that I can get change at the Giant Tiger across the street. I can use a machine there to withdraw money, buy something to get change, and then he informs me I'll have change for both the machine AND for him! He also informs me *not to worry*, he'll watch over my car and make sure nothing happens to it. Such a helpful young man, so eager to assist me with my dilemma.

At this point, I can't even fathom how I managed to not crap my pants. My mind is racing trying to figure a way out of this. At this point, my mind is like "Ok, let's just make them happy. My sole reason to exist right now is to keep them happy. If they're happy, I'm happy, and everyones so friggin' happy it's hemorrhaging out their ears. Also, please please please please let there be a cop in or near the store". Naturally, there is not. There is nobody that looks particularly authoritative. I happened to have a 10 and a 5 in my wallet (like hell I was going to mention that to my new "friend" earlier), so I made change for the parking machine and headed back.

The guy, dutifully watching my car, waves me over, but I point to the ticket machine. So I go and put the change in while he walks over to me. He asks if he can have the remaining change, and like hell I'm going to say 'no'. With my beautiful luck, the ticket machine is out of paper, and spits out nothing. The obscenities right now in my mind towards the machine and this situation can likely not legally appear in print.

He attempts to help with the machine, but then asks where I'm going. I reply to MEC. Again, he says not to worry about the car... he will make sure it's not ticketed, and will watch over it again.

Oh joy.

11/10/2010 by Kabuthunk
He also says that perhaps I might be able to come back with another $5 as a 'thanks' for watching my car. So helpful. I quickly head to MEC, hoping to find... well... anyone of use at the time. Naturally, there doesn't appear to be anybody of the police variety inside. I DO however spot Dani and say hi, and give her a micromail ball for the event (priorities!), but didn't have any regular ones because I forgot my geocaching bag at home before going to work today *THANK GOD*. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I had THAT bit of expensive electronics and supplies dangling off my arm. So Dani... if I appeared standoffish or anything, my apologies... but my mind was on other matters at the time.

So not seeing anyone in a particularly blue uniform with a badge, and not wanting to leave the car for more than like... 5 minutes, I prepare to head back. In retrospect, I should have stayed at either store and called the cops on my cell and waited. However, at the time my mind was going “oh crap oh crap oh crap oh crap, must make this end as fast as humanly possible". Sucking up what bit of courage I had left, I pulled the remaining $5 out of my wallet (thank GOD I still had that) and head back. He's once again watching my car, and comes over to me when I show up. He starts trying to ask how long I've been away, but I tell him just a few minutes and give him the $5, thanking him for watching the car. He then proceeds to explain in detail how he didn't let anything happen to the car. And since we are clearly now buddy-buddy, he even shows me how to do the "Cowboy's" handshake, and gives his name as "Ringo" should I ever need help downtown. Because I'll CERTAINLY be looking for his help should I ever venture there anytime in the remotely near future. Totally not only go during daylight hours, only by bus. He even helpfully shows me his ID, pointing out his middle initial as “R”... for Ringo apparently. I wish I'd have memorized the rest of the name (Michael R. S... something starting with an S), but my mind was strictly on “must leave must leave must leave must leave...”

On a related note, if anyone wants to know how to do the Cowboy gang's handshake, I can teach you .

So we part ways, and I get into my car... VERY thankfully seeing that none of them decided to try to get in as well... and try closing the door while attempting to end the pleasant chat they were attempting to have with me about generally living in the city and where they grew up. Managing to get across that I need to leave, I managed to close the door and start the car. One guy at this time (the very first one way back when who asked for change) quickly runs up (OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD) and asked if my car was a Pontiac (wtf?). I inform him that it is, at which point when learning it was true went back to his friends saying he KNEW it was a Pontiac! Ok man... whatever floats your boat.

I was able to leave at this point, car intact, jacket still on my back. I may have been extorted about 15 bucks... but my jacket and car were worth a helluva lot more. Although when I stopped the car in order to wait for an opening in traffic, I was absolutely BEGGING them not to come up and decide to ask for a ride somewhere or something. Thankfully they didn't, and I was able to head out.

And so, this is by far the most nerve-wracking geocache anything I've ever gotten. And I think it'll be quite some time before I go downtown again. Perhaps in the middle of the day... by bus... when it's -50 out. Otherwise... for this poor country-boy, this taste of city was a little bit much for me. But hey... I got into MEC... I dropped off a chainmail ball... after all I've been through, I'm claiming this as a find.

Took: Probably a lot of years off my life .
Left: As quickly as possible, and also a titanium micromail ball with Dani

11/4/2010 by Kabuthunk
I love MEC! I might only be able to make it out for the MEC part though, if at all... I've gotta be on the other side of town by 8:00, so we'll see what I can manage. This will be one of those "play it by ear" type days.