13:51 - Call me Sherlock Holmes?
At Further Confusion, a backpack had been found and brought to con-ops.
Three people looked it over. Three intelligent people looked it over. None of them found anything.
I felt like Sherlock Holmes. Amidst the trash inside the backpack were... two paystubs. The name was on one. Unfortunately, the name didn't match our records.
But... I found one more thing that the others in con-ops overlooked. The bag had a set of stickers. The stickers had barcodes and a five-character code starting with "B". I recognized them when others did not: art show stickers.
I called art show, asked them to contact the owner of the bag. I felt proud: I had solved a mystery.
Fifteen minutes later, the owner came to con-ops.
Only by accident. The art show never called him. Darn.
Instead of calling me Sherlock Holmes, call me Dirk Gently.
I've re-inherited the Midwest FurFest artshow directorship after a few years off. Who do I talk to at FC about your barcoded artshow system? We're getting killed with data input tasks during our Saturday night tallying, and are looking to streamline our process...I'd be interested to know how you guys do it.
Thanks for all the effort! :) I'm going to be drawing a thank you picture for the returnee, and going to go to an effort to find the person through the nets to thank them for being nice and returning it back to Con Ops.
Oh, wow. I'm sorry that I didn't recognise you!
I'm glad that you have your pack back!
I've read minor characters in detective novels like you. They're vainly trying to connect the dots and otherwise bridge that gap which would allow the mystery to be solved by the right agencies, and not the maverick investigator.
However, something always goes wrong, no matter how diligent. It's almost a study in 'things that will not be'. Till, finally, the detective gets around to handling it himself (herself).
Which I guess would be when 'the guy' wandered over on his own.
As for me, well, I was braindead for most of the con and I invaded the con ops room repeatedly looking for a volunteer authorization form. Well, my Sherlock Holmes skills need some work. Next year, however, I won't be as much of a deadweight :p
'sides, Dirk didn't have that pesky drug issue.