[Cagdu] twice shafted

[Juliett Cody]

Hello Ken and family,
Wow, I am very sorry the three of you had a bad experience. Loosing it was wrong, but I understand. There are times that it happens. Please let us know what happens and if anyone knows anything that can vbe  of some help to Ken and Velvet an Gulliver, please post it. 

JC and M 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ken Volonte 
  To: Cagdu 
  Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:43 PM
  Subject: [Cagdu] twice shafted


  Hi all.  Last night, Velvet and I went to a Josh Groban concert at the Stockton Arena.  We had bought tickets well in advance because Velvet can't climb steps.  We had seats at floor level 1 section 9.

      When we showed our tickets to the arena staff, we were repeatedly told, "You're up front on the floor".  We walked through accompanied by an usher, but when he realized who we were: a blind man with a guide dog and a lady with a cane, our section magically didn't exist any more.  "I can't tell if that's... see how this here is underlined... Kathie will take care of you.  She's a supervisor", and off he went into the crowd.  

      Kathie instructed us to follow her back the way we'd just come.  She just left us standing and took off with our tickets.  

      Finally, Velvet couldn't stand any more and I was getting more irritated by the minute.  There were six chairs near to where we were, and we sat down.  After maybe fifteen minutes, six women approached us and demanded that we move.  Kathie was with them, and she insisted that we again follow her.  We were seated on the far right of the arena sitting sideways to the stage.  Velvet kept insisting that this wasn't right, that we had paid for floor tickets and that they had been taken from us.  

      Finally, Josh Groban's security man came up to us and demanded to see our tickets.  "This is where you're supposed to be.  What's the problem"?

      Velvet explained that these were not our assigned seats, that our tickets had been traded out for these seats.  The security man then questioned me.  "You bought two seats?  With the dog you didn't buy three?"  

      A reasonable man would have just pulled out his law card, but to my shame, I lost it.  I really lost it.  His question cast me right back to the 70s.  I think that the reason it had such an effect on me was that all control and hope for what should have been an orderly entrance and enjoyable evening were dashed.  "If you want to enjoy the rest of the show", Mr. Security went on, "then you're going to have to speak to me with the respect I've shown you". 

      "I'm sorry", I said.

      "What was that, I didn't hear you."

      "I will enjoy the show", but the experience was just wrong.  

      Velvet and I have been to many venues and we've always had a good time.  Where accommodations have had to be made, they have been undertaken with grace and good will on both sides.  All we wanted was to be shown to the seats to which we were assigned.  Instead, we were marginalized.  I admit some responsibility for this because I lost my temper; but sometimes, when you have been warn down, all you can do is yell.  

      On Monday, Velvet and I shall attempt to talk to the management of the Stockton Arena.  We will present our arguments in a reasonable fashion. 

      This is not the first time something like this has happened to us at this venue.  The first time, Velvet fell amid a whole scrum of people and nobody helped at all. 

      Progress can be hard even when the law and common sense are on your side.      


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