Friday, February 8, 2008

Tell The Whole Story

Sybil Law, Holly, and CrankMama have been hounding me to tell them the story of the hissyfitlady that was at Ignite Portland. If you remember, we had 750+ show up to try and get in to the Bagdad Theater, which can only hold 750. What I forgot to mention, was that within that 750+ we had 3 babies in slings, 2 children under the age of 6, a handful of tweens and one guide dog. In all that, only one person made a scene. I've been searching through all the photos of Ignite Portland, and actually found one of hissyfitlady. So, here she is:







(It's the old lady, not the young one.)


Hissyfitlady had been sitting in the restaurant adjoining the Bagdad, typing away at her laptop while we set up for the crowd. There were 6 laptops set up for registration, and they were lining the back wall.

It was cold and rainy outside and the line to get in went back two blocks. As we were about to open the doors, hissyfitlady sauntered in from the restaurant. Two lovely, smart, volunteers immediately tried to stop her, explaining that she could not enter from that way. Hissyfitlady then whined, "But, I've been sitting in there for two hours!" (While everyone else stood in the cold....) they tried to explain that she would have to go out and get in line.

She sat down next to all the laptops and opened hers. The volunteers then told her that she could not sit there because she would restrict the flow of traffic. She harumphed, "I'm doing personal work!

I'm not sure what happened next, but hissyfitlady agreed to register and then she stomped off towards the seats.


So now you are probably saying to yourself, but missburrows, hadn't you also entertained the thought of sitting in the warm restaurant and then walking in to Ignite Portland when the doors opened?

And I say, "You shush. I volunteered. That is totally different."

10 comments:

Groovy Mom said...

It took me a long time to be able to see the old lady. Usually I can switch back and forth between young and old with ease. Lack of sleep. Darn.

Anyway, only one hissy fit with all those people is pretty durn good!

holly said...

i know this woman drives a bmw. the bmws always think they can park right outside the door, while those of us who don't drive them must park in actual parking spaces. i really wish i had a bmw.

i love that she thought doing personal work would mean she could sit wherever she damn well wanted. wtf? i've GOTTA try that. that'll open up a whole world of opportunity for me.

unless of course i meet a lovely, smart volunteer. then i am *screwed*.

jennsquared said...

That's quite amazing that you only got one hissyfit! David had to help me with the old lady...

Lilacspecs said...

I'm still trying to resolve the mix of old lady and laptop in my mind. My gram is 85 and just got a cell phone that I don't think she can see well enough to dial.

I almost want to give props to an old lady who can handle a laptop.

missburrows said...

groovy: I thought we all could use a little brain exercise.

holly: Umm...aren't you always doing personal work? Even at work?

jennsquared: Yes, it really is a testament to the people here in the Portland area. Thanks David, for helping out Jen!

laptop: She wasn't really all that old, but she was a bit witchy.

holly said...

that's a personal question

Laura said...

Ignite Portland sounds fun! I wanna go next year! I lurve the Bagdad Theater!

missburrows said...

holly: ;P

laura: I think they may make it a quarterly event! Keep your eyes peeled at Igniteportland.com

CrankMama said...

People like that AMAZE me!

She knows how to get what she wants though... stories like this are exactly why "harumphing" is not encouraged in our house.

Thanks for dishing!

missburrows said...

crankmama: Sure, any time.