Yeah Yeah Guaranteed

The enjoyment of my hitchhiking adventure to Dunedin and a desire to stay a day longer than the Magic Bus schedule led me to put my thumb up again for a ride to Christchurch yesterday morning. Within no time, I had two separate lovely drivers pick me up even though they weren't driving very far down the road. It did help me get out of the city though, which brought me to a random town where I was picked up by Jock and Winnie. These two old friends came from Balclutha, and were heading north to Christchurch where Jock does some casual construction work and Winnie was looking to pick up a car to take back south. Jock and Winnie both have grey hair, yellow tinted glasses, and upper lips that have started to disappear into their faces in that old man way. It's funny how it doesn't seem to matter what country you're from, old men from a small town act like old men from a small town. They politely grilled me on who I was and where I was from, and every time I answered, they responded with, “Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah” in tandem. In New Zealand, the affirmation used to prove you're listening in a conversation is a simple, “Mmm.” Some younger adults end every other sentence in an “eh,” but this is the first time I've really heard the “yeah” used in such prominence here. Between thinking of questions to ask me, the men offered a wonderful commentary on the drive on things like the status of delivery trucks or the excessive amount of pylons used in construction sites. They took me on the “scenic route” through Oamaru, which is famous for it's historical precinct that is made entirely of Oamaru stone. On the way out, Winnie noticed a new funeral home made of the stone. He said, “Look at that, brand new. Well, guaranteed way to make a living.” And Jock responded, “Yeah, yeah, guaranteed.”

We stopped for tea at a cafe located on the main floor of a motel. The men had been here before and thought it had good food. They insisted on buying me lunch. Wanting to keep it cheap as possible, I ordered a cheesy roll like Winnie. When the food came out, Winnie looked at it and said, “If I knew it was this small I would have ordered two!” and Jock responded, “Enjoy them while you can, you just can't get these much further north than here.” A cheesy roll is a piece of sandwich bread wrapped around a slice of cheese and grilled.

Both men have cell phones, but neither knew how to use them. Jock asked me if I had a Facepage, and admitted he didn't. Winnie said he likes picking up hitchhikers, but to be honest he doesn't pick up single females anymore. You never know when they're going to record your registration and call the police and accuse you of molesting or whatnot. Since he was travelling with Jock, Winnie figured he'd take a chance with me. This proved to be lucky for me, as Jock doesn't normally pick up hitchhikers. At one point Winnie was talking about a cafe in Oamaru that used to be owned by two men, and you know, they're GAY. I held my breath, thinking, “Well. Here it comes.” Winnie continued, “They sold it now. I saw them once in Timaru and I asked them about it and they said they remembered me, since I used to go there a lot.” Winnie, you just gained some cool points.

I was going to stay overnight in Timaru, but since these guys were so nice and it was starting to rain, I figured I would go to Christchurch with them, pick up my transfer car a day early, and go find a backpackers further on down the highway. We dropped off Winnie, who said goodbye with a hug, and Jock insisted on dropping me off at the rental firm. When we got there, I took my bags and bid him farewell with many thanks, but he insisted on waiting for me to get the car. The receptionist in the rental car place was disinterested and slightly rude, an attitude which didn't help the fact that my car wouldn't be ready until the following morning. I went outside and told Jock, and said I could find my own way to a backpackers. His response was offering to ask his sister if I could spend the night at her place. When Jock works in Christchurch, he stays with his sister and her husband. He was sure she would be keen, but still wanted to call her and make sure. We got to the house, called Ginny, and she responded with, “Well of course she can!” Jock and I went out to his local for a beer before she got home and I was regaled with stories from Jock's interesting life. I even managed to buy him a round, which was an accomplishment considering he wanted to continue to treat me until I was completely spoiled rotten.

When we returned home, Ginny and Pat (her husband) were both home and interested to get to know the Canadian stray that Jock brought home. They gave me wine, fed me dinner, and made me feel completely at ease. Even though Ginny and Pat were raised in small towns, they have lived in various cities around the country since reaching adulthood and don't carry the same rural charm as Jock. They are similar in personality and lifestyle to a lot of my parents friends, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them. They have also done a fair bit of travel which I am always keen to talk about. Ginny even knew about Cortona from the Frances Mayes novel. Bonus points!

After a hot shower, I climbed into a comfy bed in my own room and had the wonderful feeling of being overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers. In the morning, Ginny drove me to the rental outfit before work and insisted on taking my number to text me later on to ensure I arrived safely.

This experience made me think about a quote from the late Jack Layton where he says, “We can look after each other better than we do today.” There is such a stigma against strangers these days, and endless discussion about how the world can be such an alienating place. I want to live in a world where it is possible to connect with anyone and feel safe. Before I left Edmonton 6 months ago, I never would have felt comfortable enough in myself and trusting in others to do something like this. Of course, if I had ever felt uncomfortable at any point during the past 24 hours, I could have easily gone off on my own. Instead, our openness to each other led to one of the most profound experiences I've ever had.

As I was leaving Christchurch this morning in my car, I had the biggest smile I couldn't take off my face. My night made me realize that I am exactly where I want to be in life, and I wouldn't change a thing.