[Groop] Final Con Report

[Gary Grossmann]

Hi Folks!

I'm finally getting to the last GrooFest 2003 report.  This will be a
littler long.  If you don't give a darn about the  Spanish newspapers, skip
the next 4 paragraphs.

As you'll recall, I had ruined Larry's day and shocked the hell out of
everyone else by missing the Groo panel (and causing Larry to miss it too)
because of a trip to LA to get some Spanish language newspapers from the
late 80's that had Sergio cartoons that MAY have a couple Groos in them.
(That reminds me.  I'm not sure I'm allowed to write this since Mark threw
me out of the Groop for missing the Groo Panel.)

The trip yielded 4 file boxes full of the papers (pared down from 9) with
the newspapers divided into two groups: those she had copies of that I could
keep and those she had only one copy of that I will eventually send back to
her.  So the main goal for Sunday was to figure out how the hell to get a
hundred pounds or so of newspapers home.  Unfortunately, my ability to think
at the Con usually disappears  sometime on Friday.  Fortunately, Sergio's
does not, nor does his generosity.

He suggested to do now what I would have done when I got the things home
anyway, and that is to throw out all the portions of the papers I could keep
except the page with his cartoon on it.  I hadn't wanted to take the time at
that point, but it was the best thing to do.  He also suggested (insisted
actually) that I empty out his giant suitcase on wheels where he keeps all
his Con stuff and use it too bring the newspapers from my hotel to the Con.
He also had an attachment that allowed me to piggyback my carry-on luggage
so that I could make just one trip.

Back at the hotel, I pulled the sports section out of the papers I could
keep, which shrank the combined stacks enough to fit into Sergio's suitcase.
I can't imagine what the maid thought when she found a box of 15-year old
Spanish language newspaper sports sections in the room!
Sergio's cartoon is always on the second page, so once at the Con I started

pulling out the guts of the first section, a task which Kaytee very kindly
helped me with.  In the end, what was left of the papers I could keep and
the singles fit into two file boxes that I taped up tight.  The final
problem was how to get them to the airport.  Once again, Sergio stepped in
and offered to drive me and my newspapers there after the Con ended.

I spent pretty much the rest of the day at Sergio's table.  Mark & Carolyn
came by after Mark's (gasp!) last panel.  We talked a bit, which was very
nice, and Mark signed my copy of his book.  Naturally, I forgot 2 or 3
questions I intended to ask.  (And now that I've been kicked out of the
Groop, he probably won't answer them!)  Then I helped Sergio close down and
pack up and he took me to the airport.  Shortly after arriving at 6:30 I
realized that my plane had taken off at 5:30.  Did I Err?

Before Sunday, I had never missed a plane in my life.  Never even came
close.  But somehow I got it in my head that 8:15 was the departure time
when in fact it was the arrival time.  After a bit of standing in line and
several frantic telephone calls home, I had a standby ticket for the last
flight to Seattle and had indirectly let The Long Suffering Mrs. G. know
that I would be in Seattle 4 hours later than she thought.  Getting the
newspapers shipped had its amusing (Grooish?) aspects and went something
like this:

Ticket Guy:  "What's in the boxes? "
Gary "Newspapers."
Ticket Guy: "Just newspapers?"
Gary "15 Year-old Spanish language newspapers."
Ticket Guy: "OoooKay. Uh, so you read Spanish?"
Gary: "No."
Ticket Guy: (Pause.) "Would you please step over to one side Mr.
Grossmann."

So they X-rayed my newspapers and found them to be...newspapers! And perhaps
coincidentally and perhaps not I was also selected for extra special
attention at the security check point and then just before boarding they
sent me back because the guy didn't mark my ticket correctly.  Finally got
home and there was The Long Suffering Mrs. G., who for some reason takes me
for the fool that I am.

All in all, it was another fabulous Con!!  I feel bad about screwing up
Larry's Saturday and costing The Long Suffering Mrs. G. a few hours of
sleep, but other than that, it was great!  The highlight for me was seeing
the surprise and delight on Sergio's face when I presented him with a copy
of El Diario #1.  But there were many other fun things as well.  Hope all
Groopies who attended can come again and hope some of you who couldn't can
come next year!

Take care -Gary G.

PS   OK, so am I kicked off the Groop or not?