Yeah, I said it. Out loud. Your Friday Night Fiend, your Friday the 13th master of malevolence is that maple-syrup-filled, hockey-loving, fireball of national passive aggression directly to our north: Canada.
But first, let me step back. I’m tired. Real tired. Like I spent a not so sexy week doing not so sexy work in a nation that has a not so sexy Queen Elizabeth on the money, only to go through customs TWICE, have my flight canceled, re-routed to another city (which had me on traveling for the last 7 hours) and then these knuckleheads to lose my bag (which I still do not have)—I’m THAT tired. And grumpy. So I’m gonna be cursing A LOT. And it’s Canada’s fault.
And yes, I know I missed Tuesday–I was busy. Thanks for the reminder.
Now let me say this, because my blog is insanely popular and this little tirade is likely to cause an international incident, Canada is a cool, clean place, full of friendly people who love their syrup, their beer, their hockey, and the metric system. They’re good, earnest people who seem to sincerely enjoy life. Canadians are the world’s nice guys: they don’t cause any trouble, they’re always there to help, they have lovely uniforms for their police force—they’re global Kramers.
But they pissed me off.
It starts with customs. Now I don’t begrudge Canada: you wanna protect the sanctity of your nation? I get it. You’re tired of being called America’s Ballcap? Fine. You wanna be your own people. You have little brother’s syndrome. I understand. I am a little brother. But come on man, it’s us! Y’all know us. What’s with this “show me your passport, why are you here” shit? Largest undefended border on the planet, the ones who gave you Starbucks (which you guys LOVE) and Coca Cola and all your planes—you know us! But what do you do? You give us Michael J Fox (who probably can make a mean martini—you know he can. I bet he can shake the hell out of that drink. Is that wrong? I’m going to hell for that, aren’t I?), Justin Beiber, and Drake. And, as an aside—for real, Drake? You’re from Toronto, dude. You ain’t thuggin in clean ass Toronto. Toronto ain’t Detroit—you can’t be hard, wearing Blue Jays and Maple Leafs jerseys. We’re trying to bomb Syria for using chemical weapons; you’re trying to make it illegal for public workers to wear religious dress on the job. You ain’t hard. Shut the fuck up.
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, customs. Truth is, it’s not customs that pisses me off. It’s the goddamn walk TO customs. Have you ever been to Canada? Ever? Let me tell you, it doesn’t matter what airport you fly into inside of Canada, the walk from your plane to where you present your passport is the LONGEST FUCKING WALK EVER! They ought to have those people passing out water and energy bars like at marathons. There are people on death row who would rather take the walk to the electric chair than have to walk in any Canadian airport to present their passport. It’s long as hell. And then when you finally get up there, out of breath and sweaty and hot and shit, they ask you one simple question: “What brings you to Canada?” You know what? I fucking forgot during the ten-mile hike from my goddamn plane! But I’m fucking here now, I’m obviously committed, just let me in, man! I think they land in the US and actually make you walk across the border.
And don’t get stuck in the airport. God forbid you have to charge something. My damn phone has 6% power because you asses have 110 volt electricity and my technology doesn’t appreciate it. And you know fucking well I gotta charge my shit! I didn’t see any low-energy iPhones. Oh! That reminds me! Muthafucking ROAMING! WHAT THE FUCK? Its 2013, godammit! We’re a global society, interconnected by technology, faster travel, and interdependent economies—we’re closer than ever and you’re still hitting me with fucking roaming charges? For real? I thought roaming went out with actually getting charged for long distance. And how the fuck do I have to pay for roaming in fucking Canada? It’s Canada. You wanna hit me for roaming because I crossed an ocean? Fine. I’m on another continent? Whatever. But Canada? That’s like charging me to make calls because I crossed the street. What the fuck is that?
You know what, I’m gonna take my grumpy ass to bed. Hopefully my airline will call and tell me they found my bag. Hopefully my feet will shrink back to their regular size after walking across God’s green earth to show you my passport. Hopefully the Canadians will forgive my rant and let me back into their country.
Catch you Tuesday!
Crooked Letterz 
Canada is definitely a fiend. I woke up one day this summer and thought, “I want to go camping in Thunder Bay.” So I grabbed my camping gear and passport and drove to Thunder Bay, going through immigration in International Falls, MN. Holy hell.
Customs guy: “What brings you to Canada?”
Me: “I’m going camping in Thunder Bay.”
CG: “Do you have a reservation somewhere?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “Do you know anyone in Canada?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “Are you meeting anyone in Canada?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “How long do you plan to stay?”
Me: “I don’t know. 2-4 days, maybe.”
CG: “Why Thunder Bay?”
Me: “I’ve never been there before.”
CG: “Have you been to Canada before?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “So you’re by yourself with no plans?”
Me: “Yeah, I just woke up and decided to go camping in Thunder Bay.”
CG: “Do you have a gun with you?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “Mace?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “Pepper spray?”
Me: “No.”
CG: “I’m going to need you to pull around and go inside.”
So, I go inside where I’m questioned by someone – same stuff as outside. Woman tells me to have a seat while they run a background check. Another woman questions me again, for about 5 minutes. These people are all incredulous that a 30-yr-old woman would just wake up, decide to go camping in another country, and then do it, with no planning – and no weapons?. I have to be a terrorist, right? Who would do actually do this?
Maybe your next Friday Night Fiend should be on the biggest threat in the world – an independent woman. 😀
(My car was searched as I went back into America at the Grand Portage, MN, border, because that guy also didn’t believe my camping story. But I was in Canada a few weeks later, crossing in Sarnia heading to thug-central aka Toronto, and I told them I was staying at a hotel while sightseeing. I had no problem getting through.)
You know I’ve been thinking about this since you said it. I think I might do something on the grave the female gender to the world as we know it. I got some ideas percolating.
For the record, it is a little strange for a woman to just pack up and go camping in a foreign country. I like that the problem was that you DIDN’T bring guns.