Paul’s a busy guy.
If the signs around the City of Bathurst in northern New Brunswick are to be believed, then Paul has to pick up everything from his snowblower, to his wife’s pants, and even his kid from daycare.
“People are asking, ‘Who’s Paul?'” said local business owner Darcy Landry, who runs D’s Tea Shop.
“To me, Paul is whoever comes in and asks the question.”
Ok, let’s back up a bit.
It all began when the local Home Hardware store needed to change up its outdoor sign with a new phrase.
“Paul your new snowblower has arrived,” the bright red and yellow sign proclaimed last Friday.
Soon, Paul became the name on everyone’s lips in the community.
Business after business put up their own signs — telling Paul his lunch was ready, his child needed to be picked up, and that his latte was “getting cold.”
“I went on Facebook and TikTok and every business in the City of Bathurst was jumping in,” said Mayor Kim Chamberlain. “It was really nice.”
Paul is such a highly sought-after man that even the local police have taken notice. A post on the Bathurst Police Force’s Facebook page is asking Paul to “come to the Bathurst police station.”
The lore is that Paul is a real person, who truly did order a snowblower. His true identity, however, is being kept secret for now.
Landry, who has a sign outside his tea shop telling Paul to come pick up his bubble tea, said it’s been fun having the community rally together. Business owners are also getting inquiries about Paul from around the country.
Mayor Chamberlain was a bit surprised by how quickly the joke took off, and only has one request:
“Paul you have to come and sign the book at City Hall!”
— with files from Global News’ Suzanne Lapointe