Friday June 15, 2012
I Will NEVER Go to the Stafford Fireman’s Carnival Again!
Not only have I attended the Stafford Fireman’s Carnival for over 40 years, I have also been a participant. I am a musician and have played in various bands, which included my long time friend and fellow musician Bill Pitcher {who had a long running venue at the Stafford event}. Thus I have actually performed at the Stafford Carnival since the mid-70’s until I finally stopped playing 3 years ago.
Tonight I made my normal Friday Nite visit to the Stafford beer tent at which I was met with a most unreasonable and out of control “Security” person at the gate. There was a long line waiting to get in and they were checking proof. Just before I passed thru I noted a couple “older” people allowed thru without showing proof. When I reached this “jerk” working security and he asked to see proof, my first response was, don’t I look old enough I’m over 60 years old you’ve gotta be kidding. He said “no I’m not kidding, I need to see some proof”. To which I became a bit incensed and said that I have been coming to this carnival for over 40 years and you’re not even that old, and I think you are being unreasonable about this ID thing. From that point things digressed into a slight confrontation situation, which ultimately ended with me providing my ID at which this jerk-off grabbed it and tossed it over his shoulder onto the ground and all my documents fell out and scattered on the ground. I told this jerko that I was going to go find the person in charge of the beer tent {whom I happen to know personally - Tommy Laird} and I would be back and have him removed.
Once I located Tommy and explained what had happened, he went with me to the front gate to address the situation. As these things go, the security jerk tried to say that he didn’t throw my ID cache, but that he dropped it… YEA RIGHT! There was a bit of back and forth BS about who did/said what. Then Tommy said “it’s over, you’re in, I have other things to attend to”. Well I was ALREADY IN… that was not the issue.
I asked if this guy was a Stafford person and was told that he was hired for security and was from the Albion Fire Dept.
As I said to Tom at the get go either the jerk at the gate be removed or I was gonna leave and won’t be back.
He was not removed; I left, and will NEVER GO TO THE STAFFORD CARNIVAL AGAIN.
{Why would anyone go to a place that treats them in a disrespectful, hostile way and then spend money ??!!! }
The bottom line is; I think it unnecessary and unreasonable to ID those who are “OBVIOUSLY” old enough. Most places don’t… some jerk-off places do.
But regardless of how disagreeable the confrontation became, this jerko should never have taken my ID and tossed it over his shoulder, {where all my documents {drivers license, health Ins card, SS Card, pistol permit, etc} came out and scattered on the ground.
Tommy Laird is a long time dear friend and has treated me well thru the years. Tonight, IMO he did not do the proper thing.
Brian Graz
