Edmonton Oiler Gilbert Brule and his girlfriend picked up an unusual hitchhiker in West Vancouver last Tuesday — U2 front man Bono. Brule and girlfriend Kelsey Nichols were driving to a park to walk Bella, their German shepherd, on Tuesday afternoon near the West Vancouver Yacht Club when they spotted a couple of hitchhikers on the side of the road. Brule, watching out the window, was sure one of them was Bono. Nichols, who was driving, didn’t believe him, because, really, why would Bono be hitchhiking in West Vancouver? “I didn’t want to stop, but they waved and Gilbert yelled ‘that’s Bono’,” Nichols said Wednesday night at Commonwealth Stadium. “I didn’t believe him so I kept driving.”
The couple went on, a short distance anyway, all the while Brule trying to convince Nichols to turn around. Eventually, she agreed. The hitchhikers were still there when they drove up, and to her surprise it was the U2 front man and she yelled out once could see it was him.
“Bono!”
Bono waved and walked over to their truck. Who would ever think that the lead singer of one of the largest bands was walking on the side roads of North Vancouver? The Irishman, who indeed was Bono, asked if they could give him and his assistant a lift to Horseshoe Bay. It turned out that Bono and his assistant had gone for a walk and then it started to rain. Right at the same time that Gilbert Brule and company where driving on their way to a place called Horse Bay.
As it turns out, Bono and his assistant had gone out for a walk when it started to rain, just before Brule and Nichols happened upon them. On the drive to Horseshoe Bay, Bono and his assistant sat in the back with the couple’s dog. The four chatted about Brule’s hockey career, about Dublin and Bono’s apparent love for Vancouver. Bono mentioned that his band was playing a show in Edmonton on Wednesday and asked if they’d like to go. So Brule and Nichols sold their tickets for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, bought plane tickets (three, so Brule’s mom could come too) and flew back to Edmonton, where Brule is a forward for the Oilers.
Bono got them backstage passes to say thanks for the ride.
On Nichols’s pass, he wrote: “Thanks for the ride.” On Brule’s pass, he wrote: “My hero Gilbert.” It was the strangest thing. “We go to walk our dog and Bono ends up in our car,” Brule said.
Bono paid tribute to the favor onstage during Wednesday’s concert. During the concert he told the audience, “I like ice hockey because people who play ice hockey are the kind of people who pick up hitchhikers,” Bono told the crowd. “I’m ever so grateful. I’ve decided that I want to be Gilbert Brule.”
A rather profound story yet it does give new meaning to the Beatles' song, "Ticket to Ride".
everyone loves Vancouver
ReplyDeleteI remember when no one knew about us
I was in Hawaii when I was a child and an american asked e where I lived . I said Vancouver and they said oh vancouver washington ......yes there is a vancouver just south of the boarder here .
:)....
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful story Jack
ReplyDeleteI like American football. lol Never got into hockey, seems like it's all about fighting with sticks. If I have ever heard Bono, I don't remember it, probably heard his music and didn't know who it was. I'm like that, forgetful, or maybe just unknowing.
ReplyDeleteWe would never pick up a hitch hiker here unless we knew them personally.
U2 is one of my favo bands. Cool story. Good man bono :)
ReplyDeleteOh gosh ... is this 'Bono' Jack.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. :)
Sheree I watched this and the story and last night I thought I would post it as I had British Colombia on my mind and within the news - that was rather something when Bono goes hitchhiking. I have never been to British Columbia - it's the only province within Canada I have not been too.
ReplyDeleteYet it was rather cool of how Bono works within mysterious ways. :)
Could have been anywhere Joyce. Yet it's one of those neat stories that I read and well...:)
ReplyDeleteTrue story. I don't know why Bono was hitching a ride. But it did happen just four days ago as U2 is on tour right now.
ReplyDeleteIt was that streak of the Irish within him but there aside of that it's literally almost like one of the Beatles on the side roads and who would ever think that someone would be hitching, Nancy. I thought hitching was from the 60's era myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cinn I think Bono has done some great things. Seemingly, he is a universal sort of person. Yet the leader or the band is the drummer. Maybe just maybe Bono is that creative "juice" within the band.
ReplyDeleteI never took to U2 entirely. Yet they are one of the top bands of the world. But the story was to interesting I couldn’t refuse. U2 is not of the likes of Lady Gaga. But there is something about this band. As well as Bono as there is no doubt that, he has done more good within this world by way of some of his merits.
Yeah it's a story about Bono which was on the news recently Maritess.
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