Yes, another blog post from Wisam. Aren't you excited already? I am!
So, we just finished flyering in Malahat and ... whew! What a difference! I feel compelled to share my eventful(ish) last two hours with everyone.
After splitting into car-sized groups we headed to entirely unfamiliar (at least for me) residential areas off the highway.
For those of you who are also unfamiliar with rural Malahat, allow me to paint you a picture (also see pictures above :p); sweeping mile long driveways (that we have to walk up), generous distance between neighbours (that we have to walk to), unexpecting locals (that we have to validate ourselves to), vicious dogs (that wisam runs from), and a plethora of colorful reserves and trailer parks. This, ladies and gentlemen, is beautiful, beautiful Malahat.
On to the juicy details; myself, two other BCYLers and Cathy, our kind and knowledgeable guide, drove out to our first stop for flyering - a very sparsely populated residential area. From what I could gather, these residents live in a very tight-knit community where visiting outsiders are rare. One of the first houses I approached had overt thick bars securing all the windows along with a similarly secured glass door in front of the front door. As I came up to the house I couldn't help but wonder what sort of area we were in that would require such measures. There is no mailbox so I ring the door. A weary elder woman opens the door with a cold calculating stare. As she conspicuously slowly eyes me up and down I offer that I am with the BC Liberals and harmlessly handing out some information. She continued with her suspicious gaze, her eyes shifting back and forth from the flyers in my hands to my face. Moments of awkwardness pass - me wondering if she's going to believe me and open the door and her still trying to figure out my intentions; she finally flatly motions for me to just leave the flyer outside of the door and then quickly closes the front door. How welcoming! I defeatedly walk back down the mile long driveway - the cynic in me is stirred.
I walk to the next distant house where even more of a surprise was waiting for me. As I come up to the front door a large, intimidating german shepherd awakens and begins to bark uncontrollably. I shake in my boots and decide I'm going to skip this house as the killer beast continues to angrily paw at the front door. As I retreat down the driveway, a woman in the house, for reasons still completely unknown to me,- GET THIS - DECIDES TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR AND LET HER RIDICULOUS DOG OUT TO FULFILL HIS DREAM OF TURNING ME INTO KIBBLES AND BITS! THIS HUGE, INTIMIDATING, FEROCIOUS DOG COMES BARRELING DOWN AT ME WITH THE INTENT TO KILL IN HIS EYES. I FROZE! I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! The dog came behind me barking and growling violently, as the women effortlessly called after him. Don't worry he's not violent at all, she called out to me - oh thanks! How very reassuring! NOT! Yes, fine, he didn't end up biting me but still who lets their stupid dog out to chase a simple messenger. We quickly finished the rest of the area and headed to our next spot, a reserve followed by a quaint little trailer park. Wooo go Liberals!
Delayed,
Wisam
