George NBC gestures the host out into the sunlight. For ten minutes, questions him about the usual suspects: stoplight, 55 minutes, the ACLU suit, etcetera.
The Union-Tribune Reporter was right, yesterday, when he said the media would have nothing to do but interview the host. CBS, NBC, various local TV stations across the country, along with newspapers (Fresno Bee, Daily Oklahoman), wire services....
One by one, two by two, the come up to the sign-in tent and talk, tape, photograph. The host engages them, explains the stoplight systems, writes their names down, and tells them the gastown.com/xanadu address. Now you are them, reading. Here's smiling back at yourselves.
George NBC gestures the host out into the sunlight. For ten minutes, questions him about the usual suspects: stoplight, 55 minutes, the ACLU suit, etcetera.
Poor George has a problem, however. All the time he is questioning host D., the lady in red (Madame Local Democrat) keeps getting into the background of his shot. Three times he yells at her, each time getting more and more frustrated.
"Damnit, there she is again! Argh!"
Danial thinks it is hilarious. But he misses the chance to snap a picture of reporter furioso. Misses it because he, Danial, is pondering another problem. How to say something that will actually end up in a sound bite on the boob tube.
Host knows the only way he will get on the news - especially on the nationwide network news - is to say something cute, some little sound bite that will fit within the sacharine frame ("advertiser tested, commercial proved") where the networks squeeze everything under the sun. Finally, Mister Reporter comes unknowingly to the rescue, and asks the fateful question, a question that turns on a little light in the host's brain.
"You're over here, in this lot, and the Convention Center is over there, across the railroad and trolley tracks. Don't you get the idea that you are on the wrong side of the tracks?"
Click - flash. Ah-ha!
"No, actually, the Republicans are over there on the wrong side of the tracks, and we... we are on the left side of the tracks."
Tonight, the host's mother will see him on NBC nightly news.
In the midst of interviews, the next group shows up. Steve and Les from CBS are still hanging around the tent, sniffing for any little tidbit at all. Danial does his second good deed, and introduces them to the young socialites... oops, he means the Young Socialists.
Oh - host D. did manage to take one good shot with the camera his wife lent him for this week.Story behind the picture? Oh, man/woman, guess for yourself!
THINK!
And you will say:
Somehow the word got out on the nearby streets that the empty parking lot was crawling with media looking for something to shoot.
Or Revisit the "Table" of Contents.