PCI

So ya....today was PCI....I was a band host....which I will most likely never do again. I had McKay for "hosting" I suppose you could say. I was with Joe, which was cool. So anyways, the sheet Joe and I were given said the band was supposed to arrive at 10:30 am. So all of the band hosts were waiting out front....in the freezing weather might I add....because we had to do the whole meet and greet routine and stamp all of the kid's hands so they could get in and out of the stadium. Well....what do you know....it's 11:15 and they aren't here! So every other band has shown up and Joe and I are sitting there. Then Carrie, whose band has already shown up and was unloading, tells Joe and I that she sees a McKay kid. So we run up to him and ask him where the bus is....and he says that all of the band was coming by themselves to save money! It's a good idea, but I wish that we were notified of this. Well....eventually we get all of the kids stamped and I go up to the "director" to hand him the packet and I ask him if he got all of the VIP passes, and he of course, the White family luck, says no. So I have to get Mrs. Valdez on the phone and get new passes. Then I come to realize that he isn't even the director, but the visual dude. So it's now about 11:45...and the director is nowhere to be seen. So now to add more excitement, the pit crew starts driving away! I run after them and "politely" ask them what they are doing. The gung-ho guy says that they are going to warm up. I again "politely" tell them that they have about 45 minutes until their warm-up time. He gives me a "wtf" face and puts on the break to his ATV.....but then he starts revving his big 100 cc engine as if to upset me? I don't care about him...so now I think he's a big dick. Ya...so then the visual dude tells me that he wants to block off the street so they can assemble their HUGE props. I tell them that it can't be done because it's only a major downtown road...now he gives me the "wtf" face and I "politely" tell him that he can use this little side parking lot to set them up and do fundamentals. Then he drops the question of the day? Can we perform at a different time? What a smart man! I tell him no...and then he asks me what do to with his props? I tell him that he should carry them to the gate when is about to play. It's about this time that I realize that he hates me, and likewise for that matter. Now Joe takes off with the Drumline and Pit up the Soap Box Derby Track so they can finish their warm-ups...and then ask what time it is....so Joe can reply "you guys should be starting your warm-ups in 15 minutes". Back to me now...the band director shows up..so I go introduce myself and he was pretty cool compared to the pit and visual guys. So the visual guy comes up to me again and asks if they can warm up earlier so then they can come back down and get their HUGE props and carry them to the gate.....FINALLY....a smart idea. I call up Mrs. Valdez and I get the ok. So the McKay band starts doing their little fundamental block thingy and in about 20 minutes I tell the drum majors that it's time to go......then Mr.Visual does another great thing....he tells the band kids to pick up the props and move them to the stadium. I again "politely" ask him what he's doing, and he tells me he changed his mind and that he is going to move them up their now. So...I didn't need to move up your warm-up time? SMART ONE!!!! I then call up Mrs. Valdez and get permission to do that. So instead of taking the clear route to the gate(since it is too long (boo hoo)) they decide to cut the the FOREST to "save time". I don't care at this point...so I tell them it is a great idea. Long story short....I have to help guide the HUGE props through the forest...all the while the props are catching branches and ripping off branches and well as severing the cords that hold up the props....so all hell breaks loose as props start breaking and falling over. After the props are finally put into the correct place...I lead them up to warm-up area and get the HELL OUT OF THERE!!!!! They actually did fairly well.....but still....my god! That's my 2006 PCI story....I AM SO JUST DOING A REGULAR SHIFT NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!