Red Deer

The air in Red Deer smells like wet hay. Every morning when I step out of my hotel room into the hallway on the way to breakfast there is a strong smell of hay. Outside, I can’t see the hay but my nose tells me it’s near.

There are no red deer in Red Deer, but there are obnoxious pick-up trucks, western wear outlets and liquor stores; lots of liquor stores. Another thing I’ve noticed is box stores; an endless string of box stores and food chains that force the people of Red Deer to drive their obnoxious pick-up trucks. They drive from one box store to the next because even though they are across the street from one another, the Home Depot and Wal-Mart are a kilometre apart, separated by two massive parking lots full of western wear wearing, obnoxious pick-up truck drivers that seem to be in a hurry to get to the next massive parking lot and the next box store.

And somewhere nearby there must be a lot of hay.