Graduates of the Broadcast Journalism major often have dreams and aspirations of being the next Dan Rather or Katie Couric or at least, getting a job in a large television market. They look at their first jobs as mere stepping stones or a means to an end.
Channel 4 hired a very attractive, cute blonde from a university one state to the west. Her name was Melissa and she had interned at a very small local station in the town where her university was located and came with excellent recommendations. She had dreams of moving to a larger station someday, but she was happy to put in enough time to learn as much as possible about the television business.
Channel 7 also hired a very attractive, cute blonde from a university, but hers was one state to the east. Her name, ironically was also Melissa and she had interned at a station in a larger market and had aspirations of quickly moving onto a larger market as soon as she could beef up her resume a bit.
To make things easier, let's call the Channel 4 girl "Missy." That was a good fit since she was visibly the younger and less professional-looking of the two. Maybe it was her light blue eyes, or the few freckles that dotted her ever so slightly puffy cheeks. On the other hand, maybe it was because Channel 7 had a stricter dress code for their on-air talent. Whereas Missy was not only allowed, but was also more comfortable, wearing backless mules and slides without nylons, Heather was required to do all her on-air stories in pumps and nylons. Missy only made herself look younger by enganging in girlish shoeplay whenever possible.
The first two months that Melissa and Missy worked in the same city for competing stations, they spent much of their time working behind the scenes and doing fill-in work for the regular weekend staff. They first met at a Press Club party and Melissa from Channel 7 was immediately jealous of Missy form Channel 4. She saw her as a threat to her pursuit of standing out as the most excellent young talent in the market.
Soon the two Melissa's began to cover some of the same stories and attend the same press conferences. Melissa did a couple of sabotage attempts on Missy. One time she unplugged her microphone during an interview and another time she spilled coffee on her notes. Both times, Missy was unflappable. She dismissed both incidents as accidents and held no ill feelings toward Melissa.
Melissa's animosity toward the unflappable Missy continued to grow and she looked for opportunities to make her look bad. It was an evil pursuit, but she was determined to be the next person to leave the market to a bigger station. All she needed was a big exclusive interview with someone high profile to add to her video portfolio and she would be ready.
Another month went by and Melissa and Missy had only a little bit of interaction. Both were on the air Saturday and Sunday mornings to anchor the local news and much to Melissa's surprise and dismay, the Nielsen Ratings book for their first full three-month period showed that Missy's station, Channel 4, had gained and indeed surpassed her own Channel 7 during their mutual time slot. She had no idea how that could have possibly happened. Her station prided itself on producing a professional newscast and Missy's station seemed a bit 'folksy' and overly-friendly at times. Something had to be done.
It was an election year and there was going to be a big press conference up in the state capitol the following afternoon and Melissa and Missy were both assigned the job by their respective stations to drive up to the capitol and cover the story. Melissa dressed in her best professional outfit - a blue suit with sheer hose and elegant black pumps that cost half a week's salary. The suit cost the other half. Missy dressed in a cute blouse and nicely pressed Khaki skirt and a pair of mid-heeled dark blue mules and as usual for her, she wore this outfit without hose.
The camera crew for each station set up their cameras and microphones with a good view of the podium where the Governor was going to speak. Melissa and Missy sat in simple folding chairs holding paper and pen, ready to take notes on the conference. It was a crowded room with little leg room between chairs. It was particularly crowded this day because the Governor was kicking off his election campaign with a speech that laid out his platform. Melissa happened to be sitting on the end of a row directly behind her rival, Missy.
During the speech, everyone took notes and several people asked questions. Melissa got one of her questions answered early on, but Missy continued to fail to get called on to ask hers and was getting discouraged. Melissa was pleased that she had one up on her rival, thus far. She pondered how to strike the victory blow. She figured that if she could get away quickly afterwards to the press reception and get the Governor's attention early, just maybe she could get him to commit to a one-on-one interview at some point in the campaign. Melissa figured that Missy might try to do the same thing or something similar so she just had to get to the reception before Missy at all costs.
Melissa's pen ran out of ink and she reached down into her satchel to get a replacement. When doing so, she noticed that Missy had her ankles crossed fully underneath her chair and had dangled off one of her dark blue mules. Melissa was reminded that her station did not want their on-air talent photographed or in public covering stories in anything except fashionable pumps and hose. Melissa privately missed her days back at the university slapping around in her various pairs of pretty mules and slides. Suddenly an idea struck her. 'Maybe if I do something to delay her from leaving the room, I will be assured of getting to the Governor first.'
Melissa looked down again and noticed that Missy's satchel was in easy reach. It contained several zippered sections and one of them looked large enough to execute her plan. Reaching down again, she carefully unzipped Missy's satchel. Then she wiggled out of her right shoe and reached with her toes and snagged Missy's fallen mule and pulled it toward her. In the crowded seating, she was able to do this completely unseen. Finally she placed Missy's shoe inside her satchel, zipped it safely inside and replaced her pump on her foot. Melissa felt good that she had done something to delay her rival without doing anything more than putting Missy's shoe in her own satchel. It would be 'lost' but not out of her possession - a perfect plan.
The press conference ended and Melissa very quickly arose and followed the crowd into the reception area to seek out the Governor. Missy leaned over and put her notepad and pen in her satchel and then uncrossed her legs. She slipped her barefoot backwards and from side to side in a sweeping motion in an effort to locate her shoe. After a few seconds of doing this with no success she figured it was just out of reach. Looking down between her legs under her seat, she still saw nothing. Missy waited until the crowd exited somewhat so that she would have an easier time looking around the area. 'It must have been kicked away somehow,' Missy figured.
After about 90 seconds of frantic searching while standing and bending over, Missy was now alone in the Press Room and on her hands and knees in a strange room 200 miles form home wearing only one shoe. She did not have a replacement pair in her possession.
In the Reception area, Missy's cameraman got footage of the Governor and soon he looked for Missy in hopes that he could photograph the two of them together. He looked all around the room and did not find her. 'Surely she's not still in the press conference room,' he thought as he slipped out and went to look for her. He walked through the propped-open door to the room and sure enough, there was Missy down on the floor with her back to him. He looked down and saw a dark blue mule on one foot and the other one was missing its shoe.
"What's wrong, Melissa?" He asked although it was obvious what was wrong.
Startled, Missy turned around and said, "I lost my shoe during the press conference and I've looked for it everywhere."
"We need to hurry, the line to talk to the Governor is quite long and he might leave before he talks to everyone. (Pause) How did you lose your shoe, anyway?"
Missy kept looking around, "I had my legs crossed under my seat and one of my shoes slipped off. When I went to put it back on, it was gone. Must have been kicked away in the crowd to get out."
"Could someone have taken it?"
"I doubt it. Why would anyone do that? Besides, I doubt anyone even noticed my shoe was off."
"Well, one shoe or two, you need to get to the press reception."
Sheepishly, Missy began to lead the way slowly and in a lopsided manner toward the press reception. Without thinking, Missy forgot her satchel. Calling even more attention to her bare foot was the bright red polish she had put on her toes just a couple of days prior.
Meanwhile, Melissa from the Channel 7 had gotten up to the front of the line and was talking to the Governor. Melissa said some great things about the Governor in an attempt to win him over. She asked him point blank for the opportunity to do an exclusive sit down interview with her the next time he came through town on a campaign stop.
The Governor saw right through Melissa. He knew that he needed good publicity from her part of the state, but he did not like her arrogant attitude - as if she 'deserved' an interview. He had grown tired of young reporter-babes trying to make a name for themselves by kissing up to him and getting an interview with him. He suspected that her primary goal was not getting information to the voters but instead was getting good footage for a resume tape to send out of state to a larger market.
Melissa pressed, "So how about that interview? Channel 7 prides itself on cutting-edge news and reporting."
The Governor told her, "Give a business card to my Press Secretary and we'll be in touch."
An excited Melissa thanked the Governor and went off to talk to some of the other reporters there covering the event.
The Governor handed the card to his Press Secretary and said, "You know what to do with this, right."
"Yes sir, Governor." He promptly and without being seen tore the card into 4 pieces and stuffed it into his blazer pocket. This was the Governor's way of saving face but avoiding interviews with members of the press he did not like. It was plan that the two of them had executed several times already that afternoon. The Governor kept the business cards of those he actually wanted to talk to in his own coat pocket.
Missy and her cameraman found themselves on the edge of the room by themselves. A few people had walked by and looked at her one shod state and wondered what had happened. Missy tried to hide her bare foot behind the other one, but it was not working very well. The line to see the governor was quite large. It appeared unlikely that they would have a chance to speak with the Governor. "Why don't we just leave, " Missy said while standing next to a table with her bare foot now resting on top of her shod foot.
"No, we're going to meet the Governor. Let's get in line."
Begrudgingly, Missy limped toward the back of the line which now wrapped half-way across the room. Melissa, who had already gotten what she wanted - or at least it so appeared - looked over from where she was standing and saw Missy still missing the shoe she had so cleverly hidden.
Back at the room where the press conference, the clean-up crew arrived and the first thing they did was find Missy's satchel. One of the men carried the satchel into the reception area and summoned the press secretary in charge of the event.
"Someone left this in the briefing room, sir. There's no tag on the handle. Maybe you can make an announcement."
"Thanks, I'll take care of it." With that word, the Press Secretary tossed the satchel on a large table along with several other similar satchels and did nothing further about it. He was too distracted attending to the needs of the governor. In reality he was considering his own run for Lieutenant Governor and he was too busy working the crowd.
Melissa was beginning to have regrets about leaving her rival colleague from Channel 4 in one shoe, but she was unsure of what to do about it. Then she noticed that Missy was not carrying the satchel. So Melissa reasoned that she could find the satchel, get the shoe out of it and pretend that she found it somehow. But finding the satchel was going to be difficult.
More time went by and the Governor ran out of time and started walking away from the line toward the door that led to his office. Those in line reached out and tried to get his attention but he apologized and continued. But something caught his eye. One of the few people standing in line was Missy. Her single shoe state made her too shy to pursue like the others. The governor saw this cute young blonde reporter missing a shoe, for what reason he could not comprehend, and he felt compassion. He strayed form his intended course and walked right up to a very surprised Missy.
"I've seen you before doing the morning news when I've spent the night in the south part of the state. You're from Channel 4, right?"
"Yes sir, Mr. Governor, I do weekend morning news and spot reporting." Missy was shocked that the Governor knew who she was.
"Did something happen to your foot?"
An embarrassed Missy replied, "No, actually I lost my shoe in the briefing room and I could not find it."
The Governor looked down to see that Missy was unsure what to do with her bare foot. She flexed her toes on the cool tile floor in front of and to either side of her other foot. He asked her, "Say, I've been wanting to do a better job getting my message out to your part of the state. Give me one of your cards and I'll have my press secretary set something up."
While this was going on, a shocked Melissa from Channel 7 was looking from across the room and could not imagine why the Governor stopped to talk to her rival and no one else.
Missy replied to the Governor's question, "Sure it's in my satchel..Oh no, I left my satchel in the briefing room."
"That's okay," The Governor pulled out his dayplanner and jotted down her name and number and said, 'We'll give you a call sometime next week." The Governor now hurriedly finished his exit from the room and soon the reception came to a close.
Missy went back into the briefing room and her satchel was no longer where she had left it. She looked around but it was no where to be found. The table where the Press Secretary had tossed it was nowhere Missy had been so she did not even think about looking there. Still wearing one shoe a frustrated Missy and her cameraman returned to their van in the parking garage and began their return back home. The cameraman, who was driving, pulled through a drive-through at a fast food restaurant on the way out. Missy was not interested in going somewhere to eat where she would have to be seen in just one shoe.
The next day, Missy called the Capitol and reported the loss of her satchel and her shoe. The person she spoke with confirmed the finding of her satchel but not her shoe. That disappointed her since they were one of her favorite pairs of shoes. A few days later, Missy's satchel arrived at the station. When she got home, she had a pleasant surprise when she unloaded the contents of every compartment. There was her long lost shoe, tucked away in an obscure compartment. How it got in there she had no idea. She took the shoe out and tossed it back into the floor of her closet, next to its formerly lonely mate.
The very next day, the Governor's Press Secretary called the station and asked for Missy. She was excited to take his call. A week later, the Governor came through town and Missy held a 15 minute interview that aired in 5 three minute segments during the evening news the following week. Missy wore the same dark blue mules for the interview and during the shots where both Missy and the Governor were together facing each other in nice chairs, you could see Missy mindlessly dangling and playing with her cute mules. This interview went so well that the Governor's opponent asked for a similar arrangement and also specifically requested Missy to do the interview. Again she wore the same 'lucky' dark blue mules. Missy was very fair to both candidates with her questions and neither accused her of playing favorites. Meanwhile, Melissa was furious that her rival was having so much success. She had no idea that stealing her shoe led to the Governor noticing her and thus setting up the original interview.
A few months after the election, in which the incumbent Governor won, Missy got several unsolicited offers to work at a station in a large TV market and indeed she took the best offer. Melissa continued to labor in as the weekend AM anchor in a medium-sized market with unimpressive ratings.
