Mr. Miller's BLOG
Sociology 101Posted on December 2, 2009
As many of you know, I'm a people person. For without people - specifically the general public - there would be so much less enjoyment in life and so much less for me to complain about. Let's start with a pair of incidents at last night's Blackhawks game at the United Center.
For reasons not important here, I was forced to attend last night's game solo. The wife couldn't make it and yes, I had to eat the cost of the ticket. It happens.
Yet with a pair of tickets in hand, one would think that the following conversation shouldn't have taken place between myself and the woman handing out the promotional giveaway (a free Blackhawks hat).
MrMiller: "Listen. My wife couldn't make the game so I have an extra ticket. Can I get an extra hat?"
Moronic chick: "I'm sorry sir. Only one item per fan."
MrMiller: "I understand that. However, I've got two tickets here because my wife couldn't make it. I just want to pick up her hat."
Moronic chick: "There's only one item per fan."
(3-4 second uncomfortable delay)
MrMiller: "So what you're telling me is that I have to walk out that door and then walk back in using the 2nd ticket?"
At this point, I wasn't sure if the look on her face was one of simple misunderstanding or if she somehow thought I was idiot in the conversation. (Trust me, I've gotten the look before.) Either way, I found it best to move on.
Without the extra hat.
The hats handed out last night were pretty cool. Yet now, because of severe funding cuts to the Chicago Public School system, my wife has a nice Blackhawks hat for the winter while I do not.
The Blackhawks pregame is a great experience. It's clearly a big part of the overall experience of attending a 'Hawks game so please understand why I get upset when people choose that moment to go to their seats and/or stand up in front me discussing their kid's latest band recital.
A guy in his late 40's, perhaps low 50's stands next to me (I have an aisle seat), looks down a few seats and announces loudly - "You need to check your tickets. One of you dudes is in my seat!" (Incidentally, the guy sort of looked like Rocky Wirtz; with the hardened jaw line and all.)
No one was in his seat. He was in the wrong section - and by the look of it, the wrong row as well.
So while six or seven of us stood and allowed him part way down the aisle - only to have him turn around when realizing his error - we were missing the pregame. People in the rows behind us were making some typical 300 level comments towards him as well.
Was there an apology? A simple "excuse me"? Fat chance on that. Not surprisingly, I saw this same guy walk past the usher's stop sign and head back up the steps during play; refusing to wait for the whistle.
Where has good customer service or simple fan courtesy gone? Whatever happened to showing even the slightest bit of respect for your fellow man? I have no doubt that these two are exceptions to the rule. Obviously not all UC employees are clueless and certainly not all in attendance are rude eh-holes. But they're certainly increasing in numbers.
I actually thought about what would happen if this guy had confronted the United Center employee about an additional hat. It would've been painful to watch, but still could've provided a beer's worth of entertainment.
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