When I worked at Michigan Technological University, one of my jobs as a video reporter was to shoot football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and hockey. Most of my time however, was spent shooting pucks, hits, saves and goals with the Huskies hockey team.
One of my other functions at MTU was to shoot research stories and interviews with professors, researchers and an occasional q & a with the University’s president, Curt Tompkins.
When these two job responsibilities intersected, it was fun; at least it was fun for me.
One day, I had to go to Dr. Curt Tompkins office to shoot an interview with him regarding the University. I showed up early to set up, and while looking around the office, I noticed a business card holder chock-full of cards. I reached down, and palmed one, thinking, “this might come in handy some day.” The interview came and went and I left the office with an instant job upgrade from video reporter to president.
A few weeks later, I was on the plane with the Huskies hockey team travelling to Anchorage, Alaska to play a weekend series against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.
I shot the team studying in the airport, eating at a restaurant, practice and then the actual games themselves. One other event I captured was the MTU alumni event. This event included alums from around the state of Alaska who were not only attending the meet and greet with the Huskies hockey coaches, but who would also set their bums in the seats at the Suillivan Arena, yelling and cheering for their old alma mater.
I grabbed my gear and headed to the Alumni event. I already knew what kind of shots I needed in order to document this part of the hockey team’s trip. Once this party was over, I would head over to the rink to shoot the game.
This alumni shindig was one where former college students got together and talked about the good old days. The good old days they especially remembered with fondness was going to Michigan Tech hockey games.
The line at the sign in table was long. Too long for some of the alums, but just long enough for me to come up with a plan.
Sitting at the head of the registration table was the alumni chapter’s president, who greeted everyone attempting to lay down their John Hancock, by asking their name and year of graduation. She was a very nice lady.
Pretty soon it was my turn. I was not an alum of Michigan Tech. I had not graduated from the University. But I had a title that trumped everyone else’s in the room.
“Hi, I’m so and so, and I’m the MTU Alumni Association president for Alaska. Thank you for joining us today. What is your name and year you graduated?” the very nice lady asked me.
“Well,” I said as I reached into my wallet. “I’m Curt Tompkins, president of Michigan Tech, and I’m happy to be able to make it to your event” replied not Curt Tompkins.
By this time, I had pulled the real Curt Tompkins business card out of my wallet and had handed it to the nice lady.
“Wow, Dr. Tompkins, it’s so nice of you to be here at our event tonight.”
My goal was to see how long I could pass as a University president. My triumphant reign as president of MTU lasted about, oh say, :20 seconds.
In my presidential planning session, I had not counted heads before taking my place in line. There was one person, one guy on the trip and at the event this early, who would know my true identity—Darcy Way.
courtesy: stjoeschipfalls.com
Darcy Way was a former Husky goalie, who know worked as a volunteer goaltending coach for the team and also as an athletic fundraiser. Darcy too, was a very nice person. But at this time in my life, Darcy became Mr. Killjoy.
“Hey,” yelled Darcy. “He’s not Curt Tompkins and he’s not the president of Michigan Tech.”
I turned and noticed Darcy standing two people behind me in line. He had seen and heard everything.
“Kraig, tell her who you really are,” continued Damper Darcy.
“I’m Kraig Ehm. I’m the video guy who is on the trip shooting hockey for the University.”
“Oh, ha! If you hadn’t told me, I would have really thought the president made the trip all the way up here to Alaska to attend our event. Good one.”
I glanced back at Darcy who was sporting a huge grin. I’m thinking his mustachioed grin held more than one meaning. One, he was more than happy that he caught me red business card handed. And two, he had to be thinking, “I wish I had thought of that.”
