I had a friend with a satellite hookup, which basically meant he had every channel known to man and probably a few no one knew existed. We would spend hours trolling through the channels just to see what kind of strange shows were out there.
One night, we stumbled across the Neepawa channel. It was a public access channel based out of Manitoba. It had the most surreal programming I’ve ever seen. There was a static shot of a train leaving a station that lasted for thirty minutes. There was a show where a woman read the weekly newspaper front to back. There was an endless barrage of bizarre and confusing segments.
My friends and I became obsessed with the channel. We’d check it out now and then just to see what sort of wacky show was playing this time. It was amazing.
When I moved to Yorkton, I wanted to see more of the West. I wanted to explore Northern Saskatchewan and Alberta and possibly North Dakota (but never South Dakota. It knows what it did).
I looked on Google Maps to see spots I could explore. And then I saw it: Neepawa. Nestled in the heart of Manitoba. Smack dab between Yorkton and Winnipeg. I had to check it out. I’d never been to Manitoba before, so I was killing two birds with one stone.
I’ve got to say, for most of my drive, Manitoba was identical to Saskatchewan. If I hadn’t seen the big sign proclaiming I’d crossed the border, I don’t think I would have known. It’s a collection of straight highways, large fields, and, oh, so much construction.
After two hours, I saw the turnoff sign. Neepawa was just ten kilometers away. Then I saw it’s official billboard: “Neepawa, Land of Plenty.” I was jazzed.
I drove through the suburbs and the backroads before parking in the downtown core. I walked around the streets, snapped a couple of pictures, stopping in at a shop or two, and I even grabbed a copy of the weekly newspaper.
It’s an odd experience walking through a town you’ve only experienced through a television screen. It’s like upgrading from
VHS to Blu-Ray HD. It’s a bit jarring. Seeing famous landmarks in person is somewhat disorienting.
Honestly, Neepawa wasn’t anything like it was on TV. It was just another charming small-town among dozens. It’s a place to catch your breath or to settle down.
As I drove home, I felt a little dirty. I think I went to Neepawa for an ironic laugh, but it was simply a nice town.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was kind of a jerk. So, Neepawa, here’s my formal apology: You’re a great town. Sorry for poking fun.
But I’m still going to watch Neepawa TV when I get a satellite dish. I can’t pass up on television that good.
