"Saturday, at the FBR, I think it was the 31st of January" (my apologies to Chicago...the band not the city, for screwing with their lyrics). I finally got through to right person and they announced on the radio that all checkpoints must turn away anyone without a pass from coming down to the parking area where I am... It's now feeling like this is just one long, continuous day instead of a week, but I guess I'm lucky because I get to home and shower and sleep in my bed. My supervisor and a skeleton crew worked parking til midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and were back at 5 am the next day! Some of the associates working this event were camping in a "shantytown" near the employee parking lot all week and the girls working the sign-in and sign-out tent were there every day from 3 am til the last employee left (except the crew til midnight). The "Bird's Nest" must have been hopping because a lot of people were returning today to pick up cars they left at valet last night (smart people--I, on the other hand, was never that smart...but where I went to drink there was no "valet". But, that was another lifetime ago and it's water (or beer) under the bridge).
The announcement worked and today was much smoother than it has been all week...I'm liking the afternoons better because I get to play "traffic cop" with the people leaving the lots... They exit from the valet lot, Lot 4, Lot P (where the valets and police and fire personnel park) and the courtesy carts and vendor carts and pedestrians are always coming and going... But everyone is used to seeing me everyday and they actually watch and pay attention... Plus, their vehicles are so nice they don't want to do anything to "hurt" them...(that's probably the real motivating factor). The guy I thought was the "boss" of the golf course is actually the boss of the park surrounding the TPC complex...(there are 3 golf courses plus a huge sporting facility with soccer fields and such)... I told some of the carloads of women (and there are many b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l women coming to the course) that this was national "Take your parking attendant to dinner" day, but unfortunately there were no takers...(there were, however, some interesting "favors" offered if I would let them in without a pass...)
Some of the people who have seen me all week are imitating my hand gestures when they come and stop and talk now...(who wouldn't stop and talk to the friendliest parking guy this side of Tucson?) I met a "sports imaging" photographer who told me he was going to miss coming here because I was so pleasant and friendly and the guys at Torrey Pines (San Diego, his next job) were surly and arrogant... I also met some drivers from DD 24-7... They run a designated driver service available for a set fee... I got a business card and am going to check it out...(help some of my drinking peeps avoid some of the mistakes I made).
T-minus 1 day and counting... Actually watched some of the re-broadcast of the tournament on the Golf Channel tonight (15 minutes and I was nodding off in the chair). The FBR is absolutely the rowdiest tour stop of all... especially the 16th hole. It's a short par 3 with stadium-like seating all around it...(they have skyboxes and a huge gallery every day...) If the golfers hit it close the fans erupt and it's as loud as a football game. They chant, scream,and even boo a player if they make bogey! I would say there are more DPSI at this hole than anywhere on the course...(DPSI--drunks per square inch)... they actually have to turn away fans it gets so crowded...I've never wanted a weekend to end so bad in my entire life...
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