Flashback to 2002, Day 9

February 19, 2002:
There have been several days that have been a little harder to find much to write about that have been newsworthy. Tonight was the kind of night that I expected when I first found out that I would be at the OMP. This will be a long one. Here goes...
First, on the way around the stage area to get to the IB, I ran into this media specialist that I had spent the last training day with, who was a sharp retiree that I ended up sitting with at lunch, so we had visited for quite a while. He spotted me, waved and yelled, "Hey, it's the Info Babe." Funny.
Then, just after I got into the IB, a young host came in to bring a ticket that he had found on the ground. He actually came in mostly to tell me about an incident that had happened the night before. He carpools with another volunteer who speaks Russian and is hosting a Russian journalist that speaks no English. The journalist had been in the media section and had taped the medals ceremony, but had kept taping into the concert, which is a BIG no-no, so the security had confiscated the tape. The Russian had no idea that he wasn't supposed to film any of the band, since he didn't understand the announcements, and he was hysterical that all his work here was on the lost tape. The kid wanted to know if I could help get it back. (I don't know why they always end up with me.) Before I could get his name the phone rang and when I went to answer it, he had gone. I didn't know how to find him. I answered the phone and it was a panicky girl who had mistakenly come in our staff entrance and left a gold watch and special pin at security there when she was sent around to her SL Square entrance. I told her to call back in 30 minutes and set off to check for the jewelry. I went straight to the tent, found the stuff, stuck it in my pocket and zipped it up, and headed to the Event Services trailer to find someone to talk to about the missing tape. On the way, I ran into the Media guy from before, so I asked him who I ought to see. He thought I might as well check with the head of the venue. I wasn't sure, since everytime I have asked something of her she has said, "I'll get back to you" and hasn't. But, miracle of miracles, she was in the trailer. I told her the story and she said, "I'll check into it and get back to you." At least it was a variation. I walked out of the trailer and ran into a security officer who wanted to know who could help him with a problem. He had a girl with him who had accidentally left her jewelry.... I unzipped my pocket and handed her the watch and pin. Done with that at least.
I had just returned to the IB when Linda dropped in to unlock the cupboards, so I asked her about the tape and she said that we needed to know WHO took the tape, whether it was security or Event Services. (Remember, I couldn't get in touch with the host?) I said I'd try to check and put out the word to my friends who are Team Leaders that I had to get an unidentified, young, blond, male host in to talk to me ASAP.
Next, a ticket-taker came in with a Japanese couple who had extremely limited English. At some of the mountain venues they throw small balls out to the crowd that are good for two tickets to the OMP and these folks had caught one. Somehow they found out what it was for, but had no clue what to do with it. The balls can't be used as entry, but have to be exchanged for tickets at the ticket window at the Delta Center (oh, sorry, the Salt Lake Ice Center). Well, no one at the gate could make that clear and they wanted one of us to take care of them. Having had extensive experience in speaking broken English/Japanese I volunteered and waved them out to follow me. We had to hurry, so I rushed them through the gates and security, over to the window, got the tickets and looked at them - they were in the best section, right in front of the stage. While we walked I talked to the wife a little and found out that her brother was a cross country skiier that they came to see. She thought SLC and the temple grounds were beautiful. I told her I had lots of friends in Japan. She stopped and pulled a gorgeous hanky out of her pocket and wanted me to have it. I was delighted - I just love Japanese hankies and have several. She was so cute and appreciative of the help. As I escorted them through all the gates and the crowd and got closer and closer to the front, his eyes got bigger and bigger. He finally spotted the sign with his section, stopped short and said, "Ah, SPECIAL place!" I said, "VERY special!" They got to the area, bowed, shook my hand several times, hugged me, and finally happily took their places. I loved it. This will probably be my favorite memory.

When I got back to the IB I told the others that they might as well head off to eat. (Now we have a woman from Visitor Information Services who is more helpful than all the men combined) They had just left when a young guy came in with a couple of tickets and told me that he had brought them in by mistake and wondered if I would take them out to the gate and meet his friends there who needed the tickets. Since something like that happens several times a night, I said, sure and took the tickets. Suddenly, a burly security officer came barging in and started yelling at the kid. He was hostile and angry and told the kid to take the tickets, go to his seat and shut up *#!, etc., or he would kick him out, entirely. I just stood there with my mouth open and couldn't believe that he was so nasty and rude. They both left. Several people from the central management team of the OMP - the big bosses - started gathering in my tent. Since I had already talked to a couple of people about the Russian tape, I figured that they had been told to come in. I mentioned to the head of security the situation with the tickets and said that I thought the officer was excessive, so he went out to talk to him. Turns out the kid was scalping the tix through the fence and got caught. So he was trying to dupe me into helping him. Now I'm wondering how many of the others were doing the same.
More bosses start turning up. I ask them if they were down to get the tape mess cleaned up. No one knows anything about it. So I tell them - I figure that the more who know, the likelier it is we will get something done. They are interested, but don't seem thrilled that I've presented them with another problem. Turns out that they are gathering at the IB because they have to take disciplinary action against a couple of others in charge and I'm honored because they have no where else to meet in private. Real private - I'm there! One of the Team Leaders has manipulated things to get the easiest jobs every night and another big boss has taken advantage and sneaked people in to the OMP. They both got the boot. At least I'm on good terms with all of them!
There is a major buzz that is different. My Team Leader for the night ran in and said that Donald Rumsfeld was coming in. He and I ran down to watch the gate and here he breezes in, if it is possible to breeze with a dozen Secret Service agents, Mitt Romney and Mike Leavitt and who knows who all else. Things are just hopping and the other two girls in the booth missed it all for nasty Vegetable Lasagne. Boy, were they ticked!
LOST AND FOUND OF THE NIGHT: We had two bags turned in by the police that had just been left sitting somewhere. They had gone over them and had them sniffed by the bomb dogs and said that they were OK. One, a canvas tote bag, had a food carton in it. We didn't think we would send that to the L & F center, the food,anyway, but it was all claimed before we had to worry about it. The other one was a black handbag with odds and ends, but the only identification was a checkbook. At the end of the night a pretty girl came in to claim it. I got her name, so I knew it was hers, and asked her how she lost it. She said that she got sick of carrying it, so she took out everything valuable, credit cards, phone, etc., and left it on the ground. I pointed out that the police weren't letting anything sit unattended for safety reasons and that I was surprised it hadn't been blown up. She hadn't thought of that.
The host finally came back to ask about the tape. He didn't know who had taken it, so I got his name and the name of the other, Russian speaking host, told him to get some details and get back to us. I hope they get it straightened out tomorrow on my night off.
Towards the end of the night we had a posh socialite, "I'm from L.A.", in a full length mink and an expensive designer outfit park in the booth for about an hour. She wanted addresses and directions to every country party house that she could go to. I worked with her for a long time, then handed her off to the others. None of us could make much progress - she just wasn't processing information. I couldn't smell alcohol, but guessed she might have been high. She really needed more party!
Sorry this is so long. I'll save the rest for later.