HOCKEY HALL OF FAME, TORONTO — He asked me to take a photo of him with the Stanley Cup, handing me his point and shoot camera. Apparently, travelling with a “big” camera hanging around your neck is an easy invitation to become someone’s personal photographer. (A day earlier while I was walking along the Niagara Parkway I handled an assortment of cameras including a woman’s Canon DSLR — Funny enough, she was from Coquitlam.) So I wasn’t surprised.

Anyway, I figured sure, why not, and I asked if he could return the favour with my own point and shoot since I was at a loss how I’d shoot a self portrait with the Cup without looking like a total fool in front of the dozen or so other tourists waiting in line for their time with Lord Stanley’s mug.

Photos done, we started talking and found we had some similarities. Turns out we’re both from B.C. and even more, we’re from the same city: Richmond.

Around this time, a CBC News crew were setting up in the trophy room, and we learned from the woman reporter that there was a memo out announcing that the CBC might be dropping the theme song for Hockey Night in Canada. (We were visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame June 5, the day after the Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. CBC has since reported that the song is gone… but that’s another story.)

We were surprised, angry and caught on camera. The resulting clip that I’ve seen, thankfully, doesn’t include anything from me. I probably said something really stupid anyway.

But it was fun. And at least some people back home got to see me, and know I’m alive.

Here’s a link to the clip too, if you’re interested: http://www.cbc.ca/clips/mov/roussy-hnic-080605.mov