Dimensional Shift

I can't believe I forgot this one. Once again, I don't recall exactly when it occurred, but it was in the range of spring 1990 to spring 1994 - it doesn't matter. Image International. 1992? Sure.

It was a waning afternoon, getting close to time to punch out and go home. The phone rang and someone in the Production office answered it. Within seconds he was out the door and headed straight for me! My first impulse was to run. I didn't.

"The guys at the Marriott are in the weeds!" he said. "They need more table cloths and chair condoms."

"That's very interesting," I said. "Thanks for letting me know." Sarcasm was dripping in gobs.

"You have to take the stuff down!" he said.

"ME?"

"You have a driver's license."

"Oh. Yeah." Most of our fine crew had beed busted for DUI at one time or another. So, because I was a good boy and had NOT lost my license, I was gifted with driving duty a lot.

"Some guys are loading the Step Van. Take the stuff down and help them finish up."

"Grrrrrrrumble grrrrrrrumble!"

Many expletives have been deleted for the sake of all the youngsters who read this blog. Suffice it to say that I was livid. Instead of winding up the day in the shop and going home, I was going to the Marriott Orlando World Center to bail out the crew down there. Table cloths! Chair condoms! Damn it, Jim! I'm a carpenter not a caterer! Otto had to show me the correct installation of chair condoms, and I was turned loose to get 'er done before time for the dinner. Grumble grumble grouse chair condoms! Grumble grumble grouse table cloths! Grumble grumble!

Then the band came out to do a sound check.

Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Junior and the rest of the Fifth Dimension sang five songs just for us, the table cloth and chair condom installers, as well as the hotel staff putting out place settings and setting up buffet tables. They did Aquarius, Up Up And Away, Wedding Bell Blues, Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All and One Less Bell To Answer.

Sometimes even the worst indignities are worth it. I sang all the way back to the shop and home from there.