So one of the benefits of working at the Olympic Family Hotel is meeting dignataries. Some of the highlights have been the King and Queen of Greece, Prince Ranier of Monaco, Princess Anne, Dick Pound, and by far the nicest person so far Charmaine Crooks.
So after all the dignataries you'd figure yours truly is well versed in meeting famous people... and then today... A brusque VANOC lady comes in and says to me "Don't make a fuss". To which I flippantly reply "We never make a fuss"... which is true, with so many famous people coming through the order for the day is to treat everyone deferentially and expediently... and maybe a little bit of smarm.
So after the VANOC lady my mind begins to churn... probably Jacques Rogge, or maybe some other high official, so imagine my surprise when I look up and the Great one... yep Wayne Gretzky was there. I've seldom been unable to come up with a glib reply... and with the famous people these last few days, I've seldom been unable to greet them politely and hustle them on there way... until now... yep show me a big time hockey star and I'm giddy like a school girl...
So in an instance like this, you'd think a "Welcome sir, an honor to meet you" or maybe slightly gushing "I'm a big fan, you've made my day can I please have a picture" or downright creepy "Would you please autograph my chest please" would be in order... Nope, nothing like that... rather yours truly, the first face and person the Great One talks to on his way in to the Olympic Family Hotel is greeted with... wait for it... "I'm sorry sir you do not have the proper accredtitation..."
After the (Oh sh!t what did I just say to Wayne Gretzky you stupid idiot) thought ran through my mind I seek to salvage the situation... "please go through the security screening"... Yep WTF??!?!??! The one chance I have in my life to have a few words with Wayne Gretzky, maybe a picture or an autograph, and I tell him in effect he's a nobody and please go into the cattle like security scanner... well suffice it to say he took it very well nodded politely and went through the magnometer (didn't set it off) and then chuckled when his companion did... and then he was gone. Yep a chance to meet a Canadian hero and yours truly just did the job... Mama did raise an idiot. Of course after the Great one left others mobbed him a bit and got pictures while I stood there like an idiot at my post... oh well...
On another note Gary Bettman also came in later... I spent the remainder of the day trying to convince a QPP officer that he had a duty to Quebecers to arrrest Bettman for get rid of Canadian Hockey Teams (namely the Nordiques).