This Guy Has Been Bathing At Strangers' Houses And Having A Great Time

ISO one bubble bath.

This is Toronto actor Ken Ferguson, and his goal is to take a bath at a stranger's house every day for the entire month of January.

Ken Ferguson

And although that sounds sort of odd, it's been a truly heartwarming experience so far.

Ken Ferguson

It all started on Bunz, a Toronto trading community where Ferguson is an active member. In addition to swapping items, people often use Bunz as a way to build a sense of community and help one another out.

As often happens, a woman he was trading with last year invited him into her home for the swap. That's when he saw her bathtub and felt a pang of jealousy.

Ken Ferguson

"I was like, 'Oh my god I miss baths so much,'" Ferguson, who only has a stand-up shower at home, told BuzzFeed Canada.

He asked the woman, sort of jokingly, if he could come back for a bath sometime. But then it hit him.

"Suddenly a lightbulb clicked on in my head — I could trade for baths!"

He sat on the idea for a while, but with the start of 2017 he wanted to bring some joy into the world.

"I like doing fun things, and it was kind of also a resolution for me to do these ideas that I have, and also to not be afraid of being weird."

Ken Ferguson

He posted on Bunz seeking baths for whatever people wanted to trade for, and the response was overwhelming.

He's had a bath in a different home every day, and far from wanting to just trade and leave him alone, people have been fully embracing the experience.

Ken Ferguson

Many have even provided him with tea, meals, face masks, bath bombs, and fun props. And most haven't asked for anything in return.

Although Ferguson talks with everyone about their comfort level first, most have opted to hang out with him as he bathes. A few have even jumped in with him.

Instagram: @kennyfergy

Sometimes animal friends show up, too.

Ken Ferguson

There have been some great photos and lessons in covering one's junk with objects, but Ferguson said this project has really been about community.

Instagram: @kennyfergy

He's met some unforgettable people along the way, like Marianna, who's been under treatment for cervical cancer.

instagram.com

They talked about her illness and social isolation, but also about their childhoods, travel, and the peculiarities of language. Ferguson choked up as he recalled the visit.

"I didn't expect this kind of thing from the beginning, I thought it would just be silly. But the conversations that I’ve been having with people have been really moving," he said.

For Marianna, there was some hesitation about letting a naked stranger hang out in her bathtub, but as Ferguson put it, "If you’re too cautious, if you’re too negative, if you think about the world where everybody's out to get you, you’re never going to have those fun experiences."

But in another way, it's also no surprise that people are eager to connect.

Ken Ferguson

"You’re in this room and you’re opening up to other people to come in as you’re naked and as you’re vulnerable," he said. "No wonder it’s turning into an open and honest forum for conversation."

Ken Ferguson

"I've really enjoyed this experience so far and the cool people that I've met."

Ken Ferguson

You can follow Ferguson's bathtub adventures on his Instagram and Facebook page.

Ken Ferguson