Mitch Gann’s

Each delegate to the AFT National Convention receives this handsome tote bag.  I heard one woman refer to it as a “purse.”  It is definitely not a purse. You could carry a laptop in it.  Now, a laptop would be great swag, but the bag is nice.

I walked up Wacker Drive to the Hyatt to catch the convention shuttle bus.  I timed it perfectly, got right on the bus, and rode over to Navy Pier.  There was a good crowd in the Exhibition Hall, but no line at registration.  Michigan locals had two booths; naturally, I went to the wrong one first.  It looked like half the registration booths were serving a single local — #2, New York City, the United Federation of Teachers. Somebody told me the UFT had 600 delegates at the convention, out of a total of 3, 000.  Not coincidentally, the incoming president of AFT is the current president of the UFT, Randi Weingarten.

Our delegation is six members strong, and I am apparently the first to arrive.  I went to a new delegate orientation, and then returned to the hotel, tote-bag over my shoulder.

Amelia was drinking wine in the lobby. “It’s free,” she said.  I grabbed a glass of Merlot and joined her. I showed her my convention swag and told her about the woman who had called it a purse.

We were sitting in winged-back chairs next to an older woman who sat behind a small round table.  “Sir, I was telling the young lady that I am available here each evening to do palm and tarot readings, as well as handwriting analysis, for a nominal fee. Please let me know if you are interested.”

“It’s twenty dollars,” Amelia whispered to me. “Not so nominal.”

“You’re the ‘young lady’? Amazing.”

Amelia smiled.

“Nice purse,” she said.