Regina.. wow.. party town & "Are you good with kids?"

First off.. Regina was NOT a party town during our stay. Upon arriving into Regina last week and driving through some rougher areas of the town on our way to the airport, we quickly realized that this was going to be an interesting layover. Once checked into the hotel we KNEW it was going to be one heck of a layover. The hotel was packed. It was labour day weekend and so it was busy busy. The hotel was crazy: 2 weddings, kids running around the pool and hotel hallways and crazy parties.

We took a walk outside looking for a decent restaurant but after a 40 minute walk we came up with nothing. Back in the hotel now we walked into the completely empty hotel bar. We sat down and ordered some food off of the menu (it was actually pretty good) and had a couple of beers to help us forget the fact we were in Regina on a Friday night. After the beer and dinner we decided to temp fate and walked to the "club" next door to the hotel looking for a little Regina fun. When we walked in however, we discovered a completely empty bar/club except for one table of 'questionable' individuals... we promptly turned around and walked out of there as quickly as possible!

Ok, we now needed another drink. So back to the hotel bar, where we pulled up a couple of bar stools and the drinks started to flow again. After a couple of more drinks a few more people had since filtered into the bar, including an older asian guy who sat down next to us at the bar. We were rather friendly that night thanks to a few drinks and so we started to chat him up. He was from Houston Texas and was involved in the oil game. He was up in Regina for the Labour Day Classic football game which was the next day. Quite the character.. we chatted him up for a good hour I think. At one point he calls the bartender over and promptly exclaims "how 'bout we circle the wagons here!" The other pilot, myself and the bartender and I aren't quite sure what to make of it. After a few seconds of awkwardness we all realize he'd like to buy us another round of drinks! We graciously accepted, even though I had already cut myself off, I accepted another crown and coke thanks to the hospitality of this southern individual. It wasn't much longer and we got kicked out as the bar closed.

The next day we were supposed to end up in Edmonton for a night, but that flight was changed and we just ended up in Calgary for Saturday night. The next day it was off to Kamloops for a beautiful morning of flying.

My last flight since then was to Vancouver for a quick pickup on Tuesday. After loading up the bags of the family of 4 I returned into the lounge area to escort them to the aircraft. The mother and young boy were in the washroom and the father with baby girl was waiting for them as he noticed me walk into the lounge. He then asks me flat out "are you good with kids?" How the hell am I supposed to answer that question professionally? "Sure am!" is my quick reply. Great.. I knew what was coming. He walks over and asks if I would hold his child while he runs in and quickly uses the washroom. Holy pressure batman. So I gingerly pick up the baby girl and hold onto her as he runs to the washroom. I am now standing in the middle of this executive passenger lounge in full uniform holding a baby girl who hasn't quite figured out who the hell I am and I can see her looking straight into my soul with her big blue eyes. One of the receptionists even asked me "I didn't know that was in your job description!" The mother returns with younger boy from the washrooms and sees me holding her baby. She comes over to take back possession and the little girl nearly jumped out of my arms to get to mom. I quickly explained that her husband was using the facilities. Phewph... The flight home was great and uneventful. I even had a greaser of a landing. :)

So that's been my last few days. My buddy Mike a.k.a. "Crazy Mike" has been in town for a couple of days while his plane is having some upgrades installed on it here in Calgary. He flies for a medivac company in the bush in northern Manitoba. It's been great with him visiting and catching up on old college times.