Never Again

Have you ever signed up for an event without knowing what you’ve gotten yourself into? I just had this hilarious experience last Sunday.

I call this experience being hilarious was because it was funny, unexpected and awkward at the same time.

After living in Calgary for almost 5 years, not to be part of the stampede each year is indeed challenging. However, it can be easier for me than others because I’m so anti-stampede.

This year, I decided to give stampede event a try. So I browsed the Internet and found an event for this evening. It was called “Stampede Pub Crawl”.

“A Pub Crawl… it should be pub sightseeing tour. Looks good to me.”

Since I go to pub once to twice a year, I thought it was a great opportunity for me to visit some local pubs and network with stampede crowd. The cost of the event was $40. With a click of a button after entering my credit card information, I signed myself up for it.

Of course, I didn’t know what I’ve gotten myself into.

Before I continue on telling this story, here are some essential background information about myself: I’m an overly proper lady like individual who do not drink or smoke at all; what bugs me the most is to see others drink like a fish or smoke like a chimney.

Here was how the story went down. I arrived at Pint, according to the instruction of the event. I checked in and got an orange wristband. After a shot of something I didn’t event knew the name of, I was so pumped up for event.

It didn’t take long before I started to sense something different about this event. 15 minutes later, a big group of people wearing stampede uniforms suddenly arrived at the check in counter from nowhere. They were screaming and yelling, just like some prisoners who just got released from long-term incarceration.

That was not too bad. Even worse, all of them drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney!

Seeing the truth of the stampede pub-crawl, I face palmed and thought to myself: “I just signed myself up for a disaster.”

I was quite upset for my impulsive decision. Immediately, I went to the check in craw for a refund, but none of them could help me out but kept referring me to their boss, a mysterious guy who could never find.

Without much choice, I went onto the bus with the rest of the crowd. I sat in a seat by myself, with my palms sweating and my heart bleeding. Looking around, I was the only one being left out, which was the hardest part to swallow.

As soon as the bus rolled off, the group went absolutely wild. Looking at the group, I felt that I was lost in a jungle, where I was the only Homosapien who was watching some wild animals fighting to be the king; after a while, it just felt like a neuropathy rehab where psychopaths being treated.

Finally, the bus stopped at drinking tent. The excited stampede homosapiens jumped off the bus and lined up at the security check with no time. As a curious person, I decided to ‘study’ how stampede homosapiens behave in the tent, so I followed the crowd. After passing the security check, I entered a room of blasting music, alcohol and craziness. After a while, I felt like being inside of a circus where a bunch of dancing bears and monkeys jumping up and down and laughing with one another for nothing. Some of them even walked around with sex toys, making me feel a bit awkward.

“That’s what I’ve gotten myself into.” I said to myself.

Before I decided to take off, I did a quick self- check up with 2 simple questions.

#1: Are you enjoying yourself there?

The answer was No.

#2. Do you feel you are wasting your time for staying?

The answer was Yes.

Then, I came to this conclusion: “I think it’s better for me to get out of here as soon as possible, and I don’t care for m $40 anymore.”

I fled from the venue as if the flood is coming in second.

I came home, feeling sad for spending my $40 for absolute no fun. But I definitely came home with a good lesson: “We learn nothing without failing. In the end, going to the pub crawl was a nice try. Going forward, NEVER assume anything. Always do your research if you are not 100% sure about something you are signing up for. Otherwise, you are most likely getting yourself into something awkward like what I did.