Last night, completely out of the blues, we ended up at the Calgary International Auto & Truck Show. Held in the Roundup Centre & Corral, you get an immediate mental image of a group of dusty old cowpokes, herding these new vehicles into the venue.

Well, at least I did...

It would seem that this is an annual event here, and a chance for consumers to view every possible new vehicle made and offered for sale by modern man. It also allows non-consumers (lookey-loo's) to sit in vehicles that they would NEVER be able to purchase, without first cashing in on some incredibly astronomical lawsuit settlement money, from something like...well, it would have to be big - like proving a cereal company had products that maliciously decomposed your brain fluids...

Every major and minor auto dealer was represented there. Many had sales reps on site, pouncing like catapulted flaming jungle cats as soon as you showed the slightest interest in a vehicle. One young fellow tried to pre-approve us while using mental telepathy skills to determine how many $5 bills were in my wallet. The show-offy bugger was off by one!!

Most other sales reps used the more time honored tradition of a casual once-over for obvious tire-kickers like us, then went back to reading their newspaper, or Blackberrying their boyfriends for a fresh latte - stat!!

Mrs. That Dan Guy had a chance to sit in a particularly luxurious Infinity, appointed up the wazoo with every conceivable luxury. To her credit, it took three burly gentlemen to remove her hands from the steering wheel...

I tried to sit in a brand-new Range Rover (price tag - an affordable $100,000+), but the sales rep saw me coming, and triggered the remote locks well in advance. Something about how poutine leaves a really stubborn stain on the leather seats...

All in all, it was a good time had by all. When we do get serious about a new vehicle purchase, we'll go where we usually do - Paulie's Rent-A-Wreck Discount Sales Showroom...you get a free jerry can of gas with every used vehicle!!!

Chow for now!!