Other Duties as Assigned ExcessBaggage Bill Dussor Vice President of Meetings and Trade Shows, International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association

In 2000, just prior to an announcement naming a well-known, military-decorated individual to a high-ranking staff position in the White House, we retained this person to be our keynote speaker. Part of the official contract was a statement requiring

me, as the person who negotiated and signed the agree- ment, to meet the speaker in his suite the morning of the presentation and escort himto the backstage area. Needless to say, I was honored to do so in order to spend a few private moments with him. When I arrived at his suite at the designated time,

I knocked, he answered, and I introduced myself and stated how grateful we were that he would address

our gathering during such a hectic time in his schedule. He said, “Thanks,” pointed to his luggage, and walked past me toward the elevator. Myimmediate reaction was to say, “Yeah, I see your

luggage,” but I realized he expected me to carry every- thing forhim…which I did, while cursing quietly. At the conclusion of his presentation, he bolted for

the car service waiting outside the hotel without even thinking about his belongings. Again, it was apparently myresponsibility to get his luggage, which I did and very swiftly threw into the trunk of the car. Although there was a brief moment when I thought about eBay.

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pcma convene December 2010

www.pcma.org

ILLUSTRATION BY MARC ROSENTHAL