Thread by @PeterCBC

A little thread on the kindness of strangers in rural Newfoundland. With the road washed out people in Port aux Basques have realized that my colleagues and I from CBC are stuck here and want to make us feel welcome, even when they’re dealing with a once in a century storm 1/n

It started this morning while @GarrettBarry and I were setup doing live reports for CBC News Network. A guy in a truck stopped and thought we looked rain. He showed up with coffee and an invite to his house where he had the wood stove going and we’d warm up in no time! 2/n

The next offers came when I was picking up a a few groceries. A couple of women recognized me and said if we needed a nice meal, just put the word out and we’d have no shortage of invitations (perhaps they didn’t like the looks of the pasta and sauce I was buying just incase) 3/n

When Garrett and I were getting ready for Here and Now, a vehicle pulled over and Jeannie (apologies if I’ve spelled it wrong) stopped to say thank you for being here and for telling the story of what’s happening in her town and she wanted to buy us dinner 4/n

Of course I turned down the offer of dinner. She kept insisting. She said just show up at Pizza Delight and our meal would be covered. I kept trying to decline but she ended the argument by driving away 5/n

My colleagues had already planned to go to Pizza Delight for dinner and I had almost forgot about the offer. We had a great meal and I went to pay for my dinner when our server said: no it’s taken care of. Sitting at the cash register was this 6/n

I insisted on paying for dinner (CBC gives us money specifically for meals, there are people more needy than I) turns out Jeannie’s daughter was our server! I won the argument in the end, so Jeannie if you’re reading this thank you (and make sure your daughter gives it back!) 7/n

So what’s the best way to say thank you a journalist stranded in your town? We love it when people show up to share their story (yes I will make you tell it to me on camera) 8/8

A quick update. Jeannie messaged me on Facebook to say she did get her money back. And since I snuck out on the ferry last night so I won this round!