Sunday, January 02, 2011

Waldo and the TRAX Affair

One of the benefits of working a second job at the Chevron happens to be the yearly Jazz games.  These are a lot of fun, and not because I really am into watching the game.  Mostly because we are invited to the company’s private box at the Delta Center (I refuse to call it by it’s rightful name).  Food and drink are served and we spend most of the time just socializing, with a little attention paid to the game when something interesting happens.  Oh, I also like to watch the crowds.  One day I’m going to bring my big telephoto lens and get a bunch of people pictures.  Today I got to play a real life game of Where’s Waldo & Wife.  I first saw them as they were walking down the isle to find their seats.  Fortunately, for the game’s sake, they were in the wrong section and I lost track of them when they wandered out of the arena area to find their rightful seats.  I spent the next 15 minutes looking for them to reappear, and when I finally did find them I started encouraging other people there to find them also. I was a few minutes late to the game, thanks to the UTA (Utah Transit Authority).  Now, normally I wouldn’t blame the UTA because I didn’t think to check if the TRAX (light rail) was running on New Year’s Day, but I will blame them for selling me a ticket on a day they are not running.  Is there no way to turn off the ticket machines at the stations?  If I’d shown up and not been able to buy a ticket I probably would have thought to check if TRAX was running, rather than sitting out in 17°F weather for 20 minutes before thinking to check.  And I am going to ask them for my $4 back, even though they printed NON-REFUNDABLE on the back.  Because, although normally you can’t tell if a person used the ticket they want the refund for or not, there is no doubt that I did not use a ticket that was only good on Jan 1, 2011.

The good thing is that I made it to the game before it started (barely) and had a great time anyways.

8 comments:

21 Wits said...

Glad you made it and captured the Waldo couple! I once saw Thing 1 and Thing 2 out in the world and wished I had my camera that now comes everywhere..usually...I bet a nice and precise comment to the main office will get you a refund....don't you think?

A Paperback Writer said...

Definitely a DUH for Traxx. Sure, I can understand if they close on New Year's day, but they should turn off the ticket machines as well.
Where's Waldo made me laugh. See, THERE'S something worthwhile to do at a ball game: picking out the weirdos in the crowd.

Max Sartin said...

Karen - I'm with you, I never leave home without a camera, even if it is just my little pocket camera. Too many weird things out there to miss.
I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get my money back.
Writer - Is there any other reason to go to the game?

A Paperback Writer said...

Well, if it's a school game and you're cheering for your kids, that's different.
BTW, good luck to your academic team on Tuesday. Are you going even though it's not a math game?

Max Sartin said...

Nah, I don't think I'll be going. But thanks for the wish for good luck.

A Paperback Writer said...

Geez, I go to all our math/science games.....
Okay, I'll stop harassing you now. We just want you to win so you can kick the butt of that other team in your league that we don't like because they cheat.

Max Sartin said...

Hey, I'm the first to admit I'm not as committed to this school as any of the other schools I've been at.

A Paperback Writer said...

I wouldn't care, except that this one indirectly affects me. (Yeah, selfish, I know.)