Strolling out of the off-limits area to the rear of the room, cradling two footballs, a set of IPod earphones, a sheaf of papers and a burgeoning reputation, Maleki Harris looked as if he could’ve been juggling inside the nearby Cirque de Soleil touring show-tent of Kurios.

Finally, after tipping to and fro, swaying back and forth, Harris just dropped the whole lot into his locker area with a resigned sigh.

The only time all evening the man didn’t seem to be in complete control.

Quite the haul, though.

“The game ball and my (touchdown) interception ball,’’ reported the Calgary Stampeders’ linebacker, absolutely superb through the 29-10 slap-down of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in their home-opener at Investors Group Field on Friday.

“The touchdown I scored last week” – a 49-yard fumble recovery vs. Ottawa – I didn’t even keep it,’’ groaned Harris.

“How bad is that?

“I just wasn’t thinking. So the first thing in my mind when I got into the end zone this time was: ‘I’ve gotta keep this one.’ ”

As it waited for ace Bo Levi Mitchell to find the sting on his fastball, as they knew he would, the Stampeder defence held.

When the reigning MOP got untracked in the second half and with DeVone Claybrooks’ D-crew shutting most of the doors and windows on Nichols and his cohorts, the locals were cooked.

The Bombers haven’t beaten Calgary in Winnipeg since – wait for it – 2009, which of course takes in the entirety of Investors history.

In his third start pinch-hitting for the influential Deron Mayo, Harris continued to leave his mark on the game, on the opposition and, most remarkably, on the scoresheet.

Three plays from No. 37 on Friday for the highlight packages:

*Second-and-six from the Stampeder 46 on the sixth play of Winnipeg’s opening drive, Harris comes lethally free off the right side and lays a thunderous full-body-bruise on Nichols to shut down the threat.

“For me, being a linebacker,’’ cooed Harris of the whack-a-mole ferocity of that hit, “there’s nothing better. It’s like being out with friends. Like getting the job of your dreams.

“Like finding $20 on the ground.

“Just a good day, a perfect day, when it happens, you know what I mean.”

*The Bombers’ gambling third-and-one on their own 37, third-string QB Dan LeFevour accepts the snap, slants to his right but No. 37 looms up like Godzilla over the skyline of Tokyo and smothers the play in its infancy, handing the ball back to the Stamps’ offence in gold-standard field position.

*And the capper, reading Nichols’ thoughts and stepping in for the interception, ambling 27 yards uncontested for the TD that pushed a tenuous 10-9 Calgary lead to eight points.

“As much a defensive guy want to score a touchdown, he equally wants to get a free hit on the quarterback … that’s pretty sweet,’’ said Harris. ‘If I have to choose, I’m going to say the touchdown because it was a turnover but if I’d been smart enough and tried to get a sack fumble, that might have felt even better.

“But the touchdown was definitely fun.”

The loss of Mayo to a knee injury was a savage blow to the Calgary defence. But the stellar play of Harris – in his third season in red-and-white – has helped soften the blow.

“He’s a natural, instinctive linebacker,’’ lauded safety Joshua Bell. “If he’s walking down the street, you’d never guess he was a linebacker. What he has is natural, innate.”

The man playing next to Harris in the second-level of resistance couldn’t be happier.

“Maleki,’’ said middle linebacker Alex Singleton, a beast again in making nine tackles, “is always ready to play. He’s just doing his job. He gets to the ball, flies around and you can see his confidence growing.

“He’s been here longer than me. It’s great to see a guy who’s waited, who’s stayed positive and worked hard every day, get rewarded.

“Two touchdowns? Man, he might be leading some offensive players after that.”

The boss – always a good person to have on your side – is mighty tickled, too.

“We’re missing a great player in Deron Mayo,’’ said Dave Dickenson. “But Maleki, we’ve been thinking he could be this type of player. We’re excited to give him that opportunity and he’s probably exceeded our expectations.

“He’s making a name for himself, has two touchdowns, made a bunch of big plays. All good things we really like.”

Harris fully understands that everything in the game is fleeting.

“What’s happening now for me, it’s a blessing,’’ he reflected. “I can’t say anything else.

“I’ve been behind some great players. And a lot of them will be coming back. So …

“Deron Mayo’s a great player. I was behind Juwan Simpson. He was a great player. Alex.

“When players like that are in front you, you can’t be mad. You can’t be unhappy.

“This is my opportunity. All I’m trying to do is take advantage of it the best I can. While I can. Who knows how long it’ll last?

“Just enjoy the here and now.

“Worry about what it’s my power and leave the rest or the lord.”