The pretty redhead in these photos is a dear friend of many years who survived years and years and years (well you get the idea) of International Association of Amusement Park trade shows with us.  We did our very best to get booths side by side.  Michelle Osborne did this for my Bob.

Being an exhibitor at this show and probably all trade shows costs a bloody fortune.  You’re lucky if you sell one job to pay for all this.  Then there are Suitcase Salesmen.  People with their fat brochures in their briefcases.  They stop in your booth, ask about your services and listen attentively.  Then say, “I have a (fill in the blank) company and would like you to use my company when you’re designing a park.”  Five days of this.  By the last day I would just go for their throats asking them if they really wanted me to carry their brochures back to our office when they are so cheap to not have a booth, but take advantage of our time to sell to us.  And especially too cheap to mail their brochure to our office?????   And like magic, Michelle would grab me just as my hands were going for their throat.  Paul Osborne, Michelle’s husband and Bob grab Rich and head for the coffee booth.  We had this down!  Thank you for staying and saving me, Michelle.

Hardy Haberman, you were there practicing your Invisible Man Act.  You need to thank Rich again and again for keeping you safe from people knocking down Your Invisible Man Self.  A trade show floor is nowhere to practice becoming invisible, even for incredible magicians like you.  Thank goodness you had Rich Poling!

PS.  I don’t appreciate you teaching Rich that trick, he still uses it.   Rich is here, invisible in the following pictures.