The 1997 General Hospital Weekend
by T n' T


Before the GH Fan Club Luncheon
A Tale of Suspense

Sunday July 20th 1997

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Adventure Menu | The Luncheon - Part I | The High Lonesome Gig | GH Weekend Menu
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Bright and early Sunday morning we got up and got slightly lost

before arriving at the Sportsmen's Lodge.  There was already 

a line of a couple dozen people.  Only they weren't going into

the banquet room they were being herded out of the patio area.  

They were starting to set out the Dealer's tables there.  But we 

ignored that stricture, and cut through the patio anyway.  We 

wanted to see if the Soap Boutique was open and some generous 

soul had left tickets for us.  Alas, it wasn't open and there 

was no sign of anyone offering tickets on the announcement board.  



On the way back we stopped on the patio, at The High Lonesome

table where Razz was setting up.  We moaned over our lack of

tickets and they sympathized. Razz tried to sell us a THL hat. :)



Discouraged but still hopeful, we headed back to the line and

hung out by the valet parking office.  The line was going from

the patio to that area, blocking the entrance to the banquet room.

So they moved the line, swinging it over so it lined the patio.  

We stayed where we were, having no need to stay with a registration

line, sans a ticket.  We listened in on the security arrangements.

Guys in white shirts with black ties, and a short lady in a black 

and white outfit, plotted how to keep avid fans and annoying 

paparazzi away from the actors. (Woah, blew our back up plan of 

being paparazzi right out of the water.)   Security's only other 

duties seemed to be escorting people to the restroom.  



For awhile they didn't notice us, but the woman finally looked over

at us vaguely aware of our lurking.  She asked us if we were with

the Luncheon.  We explained that we were hanging out waiting to

mug someone for tickets.  She asked us to move over by the tree.

We moved over by the little tree next to the little out building 

that held up the other end of the overhang.  But one of the security 

guys, chivvied us away from there too, and we went to hang out by 

the end of the line, which was just starting to move inside the 

gates to the patio. Tangy Nancy, already in line, greeted us, and 

we talked with her for a little while, about the Kurth/Taylor 

gathering and The High Lonesome one, the night before.  The line 

moved.  Registration was beginning, *sigh*, without us.  Press was 

starting to arrive and they were relegated to the area by the little 

tree where we had been shooed away from.  



We noticed a large security hole.  The huge back gate to the patio 

was standing wide open, though fans  risked being escorted out 

for lack of a blue plastic bracelet, if they tried that route.  Tangy 

came back out because she had neglected to register the first time she 

went in (being too busy chatting with other RATSAers) and had to get 

in the end of the line.  We went with her in the line up to the 

registration table.  Joan (an ardent Jon Lindstrom fan) was kind enough 

to bring CurlyQ over to meet us.  CurlyQ said nice things about our 

top ten lists, and then went over to greet SuzyQ. We begged for 

tickets,  but none were available.  Inside the Patio, we took the 

opportunity to scan the merchandise. We gazed longingly at a black and 

white autographed 8x10 of Tony Geary. Right next to it was an 

advertisement for Maurice Benard's event, immediately after the 

Luncheon.  If we don't get tickets, we promised ourselves, we'll buy 

those, and the Tony Geary pic.



We went back outside before the not-so-omnipresent security, 

noted our lack of blue wrist adornment.  Just in time to.  The

stars were starting to arrive.  We whipped out our camera and

took bad pictures.  Security came along and told everyone who 

needed to register, to keep it moving and eveyone with a blue

bracelet to get back on the patio, and every one with an orange

press pass to stay in their assigned area.  Happily we did not 

fall into any of those categories, and could stay perched on the

wooden posts that bordered the patio.



Some Port Charles People were arriving.  Jay Pickett, then Pat

Crowley, who was nice enough to ignore the security people

who were whisking them inside and came and talked to the

crowd (which lingered despite security efforts, but at least they

were staying behind the stanchion and chain that had been set

up for the line,) and allowed them to take pictures. Stephen 

Nichols arrived wearing a beige suit with a black shirt.  John 

York, wearing a white long sleeved shirt and black pants, yelled

to the crowd that they (security) wouldn't let him come over

there. Mary Beth Evans came in next, wearing a white blouse

with a black jacket.  Well, that must be Ingo coming in, because

all we can see are peoples heads.  Amber Tamblyn was dropped off 

by someone, and came with a friend.  Adrian and McAmy had 

come out, but were moved back inside because of their blue

bracelets.  Adrian had to watch Jackie Zeman arrive from the other

side of the fence. Jon Lindstrom arrived.  Other people came in 

who no doubt we've forgotten.



We wandered back into the patio area for one last check at the

registration table for tickets.  The flow of people had now switched

direction as they waited to get into the banquet area.  Again we

we were told, in no uncertain terms, that no tickets were available.

Two other ladies were also waiting to hear, and like us were

disappointed.  They used a security walkie-talkie to call Tammy

(Luncheon staff person, we assume) who came out to tell us that

the room was SRO, and the fire marshal wouldn't allow even one

more.  Our hope almost gone, we delivered out gift for Jon 

Lindstrom into Rika's hands, hoping she could see that it was 

given to him. (We'd been lugging the thing back and forth to 

California since October, because we're too lazy to find the right

size box and mail it.)  We hung out by the Registration table, vainly

hoping.  The Dealers starting breaking down their tables and the

patio emptied as fans were all let into the banquet room.



Still we lingered by the registration table, preparing to dash over

to get Maurice tickets, before the lady with the pretty "New York"

brooch, left.  The last person came up to register.  She worried

that she was too late, and she had four tickets, but two of her

friends hadn't showed and did anyone want to buy them.  We

quickly volunteered.  She asked us if we had cash, and we eagerly

pulled out a wad of bills.  We gravely informed her that she was our 

new best friend, and introduced ourselves.  Her name was Terry

Howell.  Bless her.  They attached the blue bracelet to our wrists 

and gave us a white bag of stuff.  We dashed over to Rika and 

retrieved our Jon present.  



Top Ten Ways To Get Into The GH Luncheon

10) Buy your ticket in February

 9) Speak Spanish; pretend to be a waiter

 8) Disguise yourself as Wendy Riche

 7) Forge a Press Pass

 6) Hide in a Chandelier the night before

 5) Claim to be a close personal friend of Jackie Zeman's

 4) Pretend you're with the Armenian Wedding next door

 3) Throw a donut, distract security gaurd

 2) Stand on corner with Sign: "Will trade chocolate for Luncheon Ticket"

And the number one way to get into the GH Luncheon:

 1) Dumb luck


Adventure Menu | The Luncheon - Part I | The High Lonesome Gig | GH Weekend Menu
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Copyright 1997 Teresa and Tracy Murray. You probably guessed that we got in from that menu, huh?