There aren't many places that an English accent really works in your
favour any more. But happily the offices of the fine people of 105
The Rock is one of them. Thanks to the wonderful producer of the
afternoon show, and the nicest, least jobsworth receptionist in the
world, Mike is officially in tonight. We may have to track down what
they call the Rock Hummer tomorrow for Friday tickets but tonight is
sorted.

Safe to say Mike is one happy Rustie....

So how did we do it. Well thanks to the rustie who posted about The
Rock's competition - they are giving away tickets at Rippys tonight -
we thought we might trek up to the station and see what we coulde
do. The plan was that I would get to the producer, tell her that I
had come all the way from England without a ticket (okay, I know,
but if anyone ever asks you if any good can ever come from lying,
I'd like you to think about just this one possible exception to the
rule, the rest of you should just pray for my soul) and that I was
prepared to do anything at all on air if they would give me a
ticket. We nearly didn't make it. As we crossed one junction on
green a car came speeding past our front bumper having jumped a red
at about 50mph and narrowly missed a big smash. Eventually we made
it to the offices, filled with teenagers hanging around the lobby
having won something for something. The conversation went like this:

"Hi I've heard you might be giving away Neil Young tickets for
tonight, I've...."
"Yes, you'll have to go to Rippy's tonight at 5pm, don't wear any
clothes with logos or words on them."
This was going to need a bit of extra sweat. Time to dig deep and
find my best Hugh Grant impression.
"Errm, okay, errm, fabulous, wonderful. Errrm. I'm terribly sorry to
ask this of you but is there any way at all I could get hold of one
now?"
Silence, she looked at me. I smiled helplessly back at her. Our eyes
met. She decided to help.
"I'll make a call."
She tried to make a call but kept on being interrupted.
"Hello Clear Channel. Yes. Putting you through. Hello Clear Channel.
Yes, that will be announced on the morning show, have a nice day.
Hello Clear Channel how can I help you? Can you give me your
reference number. Certainly you can collect it today. Have a nice
day."
I really thought she'd forgotten us.
"You really are the most exceptional receptionist I have ever
encountered in my years of travelling." Which sounds a bit creepy
but actually I meant it. She was juggling a million things without
much help from anyone and hadn't decided that me and Mike were one
problem she could easily get rid of.
About five minutes later the producer of the show hurried up to me
and handed me an envelope.
"This is our secret," she said.
"Our dirty little secret," I replied. Perhaps taking the Hugh Grant
impression slightly too far.
I feel bad by posting which, I guess, stretches the strict
definition of secrecy a teeny bit so please don't bug the station
with this story - we still have to score tickets for tomorrow and
they're our best lead.

Anyway Mike is in.

JD