Medal Detector

A girl walks into a Colorado gas station and asks the four employees working, "so, this might be a weird question, but I was just wondering if any of you happen to know the score of the hockey game?"

"No. But we can look it up... oh, the game is over. We lost 1-0."

*Awkward pause*

*Fist pump* "YESSSSSSSS, WE WON!"

"YOU WON?! OHHH You're Canadian?"

I wasn't trying to gloat or rub it in the faces of these American gas station attendants but the fact that they didn't even know the score made me come to the conclusion that they probably didn't really care that much to begin with.

I had unintentionally made plans for Friday, February 21st to be a travel day from Avon, Colorado to Albuquerque,  New Mexico. I had my sights set on the sunshine and warm temperatures that New Mexico would bring and it was then that I dreadfully realized, I'm going to miss the hockey game! I pleaded with friends on Facebook to text me updates - which some actually did (thanks Danelle, Courtney and Amol!). At least I was covered in that regard. Or was I?

Did you know that majority of the eight hour drive from Avon, Colorado to Albuquerque, New Mexico actually has extremely spotty cell reception. Therefore, all these excited text messages my friends were sending to inform me that Canada was up 1-0 and that Carey Price had made another amazing save were not coming through. It was pure panic mode. What was I going to do?

Every ten minutes or so I would frantically scan every single radio station - AM and FM in a last hope that one of these would provide some stress relief and update me on the game. No such luck. Not a single one. There were sermons being read and scripture being quoted. There were the oldies and the top forty. There were even every single update on local highschool athletics being reported. But not a single syllable being uttered on what was clearly the most important sporting event happening that day - the Canada vs USA ("loser gets Bieber") game! It was torture. I knew that if I had been driving North of the border I would have had to try to find a station that wasn't giving up-to-the-minute updates on that hockey game.

It was then that I came to a small town. One so small I don't think I ever knew it's name. But it was there that I ventured into that gas station. Nervous, anxious, of what I was going to find out.

The game is over. We lost 1-0.

And it was music to my ears.

Just incase you've been hiding under a rock for the past twelve hours, Team Canada men's hockey team went on to win the Olympic Gold Medal defeating Sweden 3-0 this morning. And right now, twelve hours later, the only country in the world that changes it's liquor laws for a hockey game, the entire nation is fast asleep, dreaming dreams of gold in South Korea in 2018.

Congrats to all Olympic athletes of the 2014 games and good luck to all Paralympic athletes that are yet to compete!

 To all Canadian athletes (not just the hockey players): We are winter. YOU, are winter.