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Definitely Not the Opera

How this woman became Trevor Dineen's hero

When CBC Manitoba traffic reporter Trevor Dineen commandeered a party bus full of DNTO fans through Winnipeg, he tried to be a Good Samaritan. Turns out that was easier said than done.
CBC News ·
How far would you go to pick someone up and give them a ride home? That's a question Trevor Dineen asked himself... until he met April. (Kaj Hasselriis/DNTO)

Why hello there.

I'm Trevor Dineen, a CBC traffic reporter from Winnipeg, and I guest-hosted a very special episode of DNTO where we took over and recorded an entire show from a City of Winnipeg Transit Bus (or a C.W.T.B as no one likes to call it).

This bus had everything: storytellers, a live audience, a live band, coffee, Timbits, vegetables blended into juice form, knitting and love.

I'm fairly certain someone near the back was even doing people's taxes.

The DNTO Express included a brother/sister musical duo, Roger Roger. (Kaj Hasselriis/DNTO)

But as we were planning the show, one part that I was particularly excited about was something that I dubbed the "Pick Up A Stranger And Give Them Door-To-Door Service To Wherever It Is They're Going" portion of the program.

How fun would this be!  

Turns out... not fun at all. 

Apparently, fun fact: no one leaves their house on a Sunday in Winnipeg. No. Body.

Picture Will Smith in the movie I Am Legend except... you know... Will Smith is a bus. 

So after driving with a bus full of storytellers and musicians all the way down one of Winnipeg's main drags, we finally came upon two people walking down the sidewalk. 

It wasn't hard to convince folks like Eric Lett to chat it up on the DNTO party bus. (Andrew Friesen/DNTO)

When we confirmed it wasn't a mirage, I jumped off the bus. Everyone on board started cheering and I asked the twosome in a very friendly and inviting manner if we could give them a lift to wherever it was they were going.

They said no. Instantly. It was as if I had asked them if they wanted to help me kick a puppy.

I pushed on, saying we had coffee and donuts. They said no again, and looked scared.

It was like trying to get a Kardashian into a Walmart.  

So off they went, never knowing the joyous cheers and chants that awaited them on the DNTO Express. 

Our bus driver, Bob, was chatty, too. So why was it so hard to find a random stranger who would accept a ride with us?! (Wally Mah)

It took us another ten minutes before we found a nice young lady walking down a side street. Turns out she only had one more block to walk before arriving home. Did that stop us from driving her that one short block?  Heck no.

When April got on the bus, everyone cheered and chanted her name.  

Then 50 metres later... she got off.

Now, I know it wasn't an epic journey, or really... even a journey at all... but I would like to think that when April looks back on her life, she'll always remember the DNTO Express... and the best 50 metre bus trip she ever took.  

And really... that's all that matters. 

Listen to our full #DNTOExpress episode here.

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