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Showing posts with label Blackstone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blackstone. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Blackstone/ADF's new headquarters
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Sleuth plays football in the Ritz Carlton: Postlude
There remains only the summing up.
Throughout the remainder of the evening, the Fab Four were summoned on several occasions to return to the Ritz for questioning, etc.
Each time, they were escorted by Jessie H.
Each time, they walked through the front entrance of the Ritz.
And each time, the Foursome were met by multiple Ritz staff and personnel, who opened the doors and stood at attention as they whooped and hollered and applauded and shook the hands of the unlikely heroes.
[PICTURE: Eagle-Eye Jonathan identifies the captured crook]
Jessie H. was a likeable character, and the Fab Four soon felt comfortable enough to converse with Jessie about the events of the evening. It didn't take long to discover that the whole thing had been recorded on the hotel's video surveillance camera. The boys pleaded with Jessie to see it, but he firmly resisted (and probably with good legal reason). Daniel was perhaps the most visibly frustrated, and Jessie finally offered this consolation: "I've been a security guard and personal body guard for celebrities for a long time, and I've seen a lot of surveillance tapes - but I've never seen anything like this. You guys were AWESOME!"
Say no more, Jessie, say no more.
The next morning, the Manager/Operator of the Phoenix Ritz honored the Four before the entire Blackstone group, and he presented them with multiple Ritz gifts, including clothing and gift certificates for a free night stay at any Ritz in the world.
Later that morning, the Boys were summoned to the hotel lobby, where they learned that the $140,000 worth of jewelry had been on loan from a local jeweler, and did not actually belong to the Ritz. As a token of gratitude, the local jeweler brought the Four to his store, where he presented them each with a new $550 watch, along with several hundred dollars worth of men's cologne and women's perfume.
After the final Blackstone banquet on Thursday night, the Four, along with dozens of other interns, had lingered in the conference hall taking pictures and enjoying the last few hours in the Ritz. Slowly, the numbers had dwindled as more and more folks left to return to their rooms or to head to Nixon's. Sleuth, Jonathan and Chris remained, talking with the few lawyers and other distinguished guests who were still in the conference hall. As they turned to leave, they stopped to shake hands with the head of Blackstone's parent organization and the banquet's key note speaker, Alan. After they thanked him for his speech and for helping make Blackstone possible, Alan turned to them both and offered one last parting charge to the three young men:
"Now, go change the world."
Charged with those words of exhortation, and a mere twenty minutes later, those three men (and their valuable fourth partner) seized the day and the opportunity to live up to Alan's challenge. And while they were at it, they seized a couple of would be criminals too.
[Video footage of the Fab Four retelling the entire event is forthcoming]
Throughout the remainder of the evening, the Fab Four were summoned on several occasions to return to the Ritz for questioning, etc.
Each time, they were escorted by Jessie H.
Each time, they walked through the front entrance of the Ritz.
And each time, the Foursome were met by multiple Ritz staff and personnel, who opened the doors and stood at attention as they whooped and hollered and applauded and shook the hands of the unlikely heroes.
[PICTURE: Eagle-Eye Jonathan identifies the captured crook]Jessie H. was a likeable character, and the Fab Four soon felt comfortable enough to converse with Jessie about the events of the evening. It didn't take long to discover that the whole thing had been recorded on the hotel's video surveillance camera. The boys pleaded with Jessie to see it, but he firmly resisted (and probably with good legal reason). Daniel was perhaps the most visibly frustrated, and Jessie finally offered this consolation: "I've been a security guard and personal body guard for celebrities for a long time, and I've seen a lot of surveillance tapes - but I've never seen anything like this. You guys were AWESOME!"
Say no more, Jessie, say no more.
The next morning, the Manager/Operator of the Phoenix Ritz honored the Four before the entire Blackstone group, and he presented them with multiple Ritz gifts, including clothing and gift certificates for a free night stay at any Ritz in the world.
Later that morning, the Boys were summoned to the hotel lobby, where they learned that the $140,000 worth of jewelry had been on loan from a local jeweler, and did not actually belong to the Ritz. As a token of gratitude, the local jeweler brought the Four to his store, where he presented them each with a new $550 watch, along with several hundred dollars worth of men's cologne and women's perfume.
After the final Blackstone banquet on Thursday night, the Four, along with dozens of other interns, had lingered in the conference hall taking pictures and enjoying the last few hours in the Ritz. Slowly, the numbers had dwindled as more and more folks left to return to their rooms or to head to Nixon's. Sleuth, Jonathan and Chris remained, talking with the few lawyers and other distinguished guests who were still in the conference hall. As they turned to leave, they stopped to shake hands with the head of Blackstone's parent organization and the banquet's key note speaker, Alan. After they thanked him for his speech and for helping make Blackstone possible, Alan turned to them both and offered one last parting charge to the three young men:
"Now, go change the world."
Charged with those words of exhortation, and a mere twenty minutes later, those three men (and their valuable fourth partner) seized the day and the opportunity to live up to Alan's challenge. And while they were at it, they seized a couple of would be criminals too.
[Video footage of the Fab Four retelling the entire event is forthcoming]
[Picture: three of the four with Alan]
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Sleuth plays football in the Ritz Carlton, Part 3
The boys were thankful to see the security guards arrive. Actually, Chris and Sleuth were thankful. Jonathan and Daniel got the crap scared out of them.
Since it was nearly 11pm, the doors were locked so that only exiting through the side entrance was permitted. For some reason, still undetermined, the security guards took the longest possible route and ran around the outside of the building, so that their arrival to the scene of the action required reentry into the building. Through the locked doors.
Now, while the struggle between good and evil was taking place on the Ritz floor, Daniel and Jonathan had alertly moved to guard the exit doors, both standing with their backs to the exit to stop any further attempts at escape should (Allah forbid) the crook wriggle free. As they stood there in shock and awe, watching their two friends struggle for their lives and helpless to offer any true assistance, their minds were equally on edge with the thought of the escaped felon who was on the loose outside the hotel. For all they knew, he could be lurking in the shadows just outside the exit, waiting for his friend to escape, or even worse, devising a plan to come back and rescue his waylaid companion.
It was at that very moment that the security guards encountered the locked doors.
Jonathan and Daniel nearly wet their pants.
Knowing the doors were locked, the guards had made no attempt for peaceable entry, but booked a beeline for the doors and immediately began pounding with all their might, demanding that they be let in. For Jonathan and Daniel, this was none other than the sound of the escaped crook, angered by what had happened and returning with a posse of bandits, armed with assault weapons and burlap sacks.
The justified fright was soon overcome, and Jesse H., the head security officer, busted through the exit, grabbed the crook from Sleuth and Chris, and body slammed him against the wall. The thief was escorted away to an interrogation room in the back of the hotel.
Our heroes crowded around the suitcase to examine the objects of the crooks attempted robbery. The scene was photographed, and the Fab Four helped the Ritz staff clean up the spilled jewels. They did not look like much, but they would soon learn that the jewelry was valued at a total of nearly $15o,000. After answering some questions and filling out their contact info, the Fab Four were anxious to be on their way. The events of the last 20 minutes were still surreal, and the four men were more concerned about missing out on the hanging out at Nixon's than they were with what had just taken place. As they prepared to leave the Ritz for Nixon's, they came across a group of lovely young ladies who were likewise about to head back to the bar. Concerned for their safety, given the fact that a criminal was still on the loose, the Fab Four offered their protection (and their arms) as they escorted the women to Nixon's.
It's been said that there are only two things that are guaranteed in life: death and taxes. I would add, while perhaps not a guarantee, you can bet on two more things: news travels fast, and when it reaches its destination, it's generally only about half true. For example, note the following account of what happened next in this story:
As the four opened the door to Nixons, with the ladies by their side, the entire bar, packed shoulder to shoulder with interns, staff, and local yokels, erupted in applause - a standing ovation. Never before in all of Blackstone had such hootin' and hollerin' been heard. Like the Red Sea, a pathway parted through the crowd from the doorway to the bar. Like a presidential candidate on a campaign stop, the four made their way through the crowd, shaking hands and posing for pictures as they went. The bar was abuzz with the news of their heroics, and the rest of teh night was spent retelling the story of the biggest foiled robbery in Blackstone history. With the Ritz paying their tab, the Fab Four spent the rest of the night enjoying the fruit of their labors...
to be continued...
Since it was nearly 11pm, the doors were locked so that only exiting through the side entrance was permitted. For some reason, still undetermined, the security guards took the longest possible route and ran around the outside of the building, so that their arrival to the scene of the action required reentry into the building. Through the locked doors.
Now, while the struggle between good and evil was taking place on the Ritz floor, Daniel and Jonathan had alertly moved to guard the exit doors, both standing with their backs to the exit to stop any further attempts at escape should (Allah forbid) the crook wriggle free. As they stood there in shock and awe, watching their two friends struggle for their lives and helpless to offer any true assistance, their minds were equally on edge with the thought of the escaped felon who was on the loose outside the hotel. For all they knew, he could be lurking in the shadows just outside the exit, waiting for his friend to escape, or even worse, devising a plan to come back and rescue his waylaid companion.
It was at that very moment that the security guards encountered the locked doors.
Jonathan and Daniel nearly wet their pants.
Knowing the doors were locked, the guards had made no attempt for peaceable entry, but booked a beeline for the doors and immediately began pounding with all their might, demanding that they be let in. For Jonathan and Daniel, this was none other than the sound of the escaped crook, angered by what had happened and returning with a posse of bandits, armed with assault weapons and burlap sacks.
The justified fright was soon overcome, and Jesse H., the head security officer, busted through the exit, grabbed the crook from Sleuth and Chris, and body slammed him against the wall. The thief was escorted away to an interrogation room in the back of the hotel.
Our heroes crowded around the suitcase to examine the objects of the crooks attempted robbery. The scene was photographed, and the Fab Four helped the Ritz staff clean up the spilled jewels. They did not look like much, but they would soon learn that the jewelry was valued at a total of nearly $15o,000. After answering some questions and filling out their contact info, the Fab Four were anxious to be on their way. The events of the last 20 minutes were still surreal, and the four men were more concerned about missing out on the hanging out at Nixon's than they were with what had just taken place. As they prepared to leave the Ritz for Nixon's, they came across a group of lovely young ladies who were likewise about to head back to the bar. Concerned for their safety, given the fact that a criminal was still on the loose, the Fab Four offered their protection (and their arms) as they escorted the women to Nixon's.
It's been said that there are only two things that are guaranteed in life: death and taxes. I would add, while perhaps not a guarantee, you can bet on two more things: news travels fast, and when it reaches its destination, it's generally only about half true. For example, note the following account of what happened next in this story:
Meanwhile, word of the foursome’s heroics rippled in to the front of Nixon’s, the official bar of Blackstone. I had the privilege of being the first in the bar to hear about the melee due to my proximity to the door. The news came in: “[Sleuth], Jonathan, Chris, and Daniel tackled a couple of guys that were stealing from the Ritz! But one of them got away.”The majority of that account is true.
The news quickly spread from the front door of Nixon’s to the nearby tables: "[Sleuth], Jonathon, Chris, and Daniel beat up a couple of criminals in their attempted heist of the Ritz! I think one of them had a knife.”
At the bar, the above words combined with a few Hoegaardens to create the following: “Dude! Our four heroes beat up two armed robbers. Lit caught on to their plot and immediately called Chris, [Sleuth], and Daniel for backup. [Sleuth] gave one of them a roundhouse so hard that it slammed him into the wall! Chris immediately stepped in like Rocky on a Russian in the 3rd round. And Daniel and the other crook wrestled out of a fourth story window, landing in the pool. The impact stunned Daniel just enough so that the robber could get away for a second and grab the skid of a helicopter. As he held on with one arm, he fired his machine gun back at Daniel in the pool with his other arm. One of the bullets brazed Daniel’s arm—it kind of looks like rug-burn.”
Needless to say, when the four arrived at Nixon’s, some clapped while others applauded. A few cheered with vigorous merriment, all vowing to name their firstborns after the heroes.
As the four opened the door to Nixons, with the ladies by their side, the entire bar, packed shoulder to shoulder with interns, staff, and local yokels, erupted in applause - a standing ovation. Never before in all of Blackstone had such hootin' and hollerin' been heard. Like the Red Sea, a pathway parted through the crowd from the doorway to the bar. Like a presidential candidate on a campaign stop, the four made their way through the crowd, shaking hands and posing for pictures as they went. The bar was abuzz with the news of their heroics, and the rest of teh night was spent retelling the story of the biggest foiled robbery in Blackstone history. With the Ritz paying their tab, the Fab Four spent the rest of the night enjoying the fruit of their labors...
to be continued...
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sleuth plays football in the Ritz Carlton, Part 2
We're pretty sure that most guys, at some point in their life, have dreamed of tackling a would be criminal. That's why we love action movies, comic books, and superheros. If only WE had a chance to go head to head with the bad guys, then maybe we'd be as sweet and totally awesome as the dudes on TV. And maybe the hot girls would like us now.
Although they didn't know it at the time, that was exactly the situation the Fab Four were in when we last left them.
Imagine the familiar scene of the main street in a small western town...an empty dirt road with trading posts and saloons on either side. A few tumbleweed bouncing across the dusty street as two groups of cowboys square off, each staring resolutely at the other, daring them to make the first move. Good guys v. bad guys, everyone holding their breath in anticipation of what will happen. Time stands still...
This was nothing like that.
Jonathan was gathering his wits after being nearly run over by the fleeing jewel thieves, while Sleuth, Daniel and Chris were stuck somewhere between "speechless" and "braced for impact." The two crooks were flying full speed down the hallway toward the Fab Four - a collision was inevitable. That's when the Blackstone instinct kicked in, and the sharp minds of well-trained law students took over (though cleverly disguised by their chiseled abs and incredibly good looks). The three interns put their hands together, yelled "Triangulate!", and before you could say "Jack Robinson," the Sleuth, Daniel and Chris formed a flying V (which looks very much like a triangle) and jumped into action.
Dumb Crook #1 zigged and zagged to the right, heading straight for Sleuth. Now, when most guys dream of apprehending a criminal or warding off the bad guys, they probably imagine an amazing fist fight, or a flying tackle from a second story window. Evidently, the Sleuth had never thought about these things before, or if he had, the thought of a full fledge linebacker tackle did not cross his mind in the seconds leading up to his formal introduction to Dumb Crook #1. So when the the crook came barreling down on him at full speed, he did what immediately came to mind, and stepped aside to avoid the hit.
And then he tripped him.
Not just any trip, mind you, but a bonafide I-will-make-you-wish-you'd-never-walked-by-me trip. In fact, just to make sure the nature of his tripping was clear, Sleuth put a little umph behind his tripping leg. Instant replay later showed that he actually scissor-kicked the robber in the kneecaps.
[Below: Chris and Daniel show off their battle wounds]
Up went Dumb Crook #1's legs, down went Dumb Crook #1's head. His face planted right in the carpet. Sleuth whirled around, only to witness Chris "That's why my friends call me Whiskers" pounce on top of the crook like a cat on a mouse. Though the details are a bit hazy, the Fab Four later discussed and confirmed that at this point a voice from heaven boomed out: "Dogpile!" Sleuth needed no second invitation. He dove on top of Chris, and the three wrestled around on the ground for over a minute. Sleuth managed to get his right arm around Dumb Crook #1's head, and kept him in a headlock while he kicked and punched and kept yelling "It wasn't me...I didn't do it." The getaway car keys and black suitcase laying on the floor, now open with jewels strewn across the floor, suggested that Dumb Crook #1 was not being completely honest.
With Sleuth and Chris occupied, this left Daniel in a one-on-one with Dumb Crook #2. Unknown to many, Daniel was a star wide receiver in high school, and despite being removed from the game for over 4 years, his football skills were still sharp. So, like any good wide receiver does after his team has turned over the ball and he's suddenly faced with playing defense, Daniel did exactly what he was trained to do:
He dropped down in the fetal position and attempted to chop block the fleeing robber.
Daniel's coach would have been proud. The
robber flew threw the air and landed with a thud on the carpet behind him. To the robber's delight, the exit doors (and freedom) were only a few feet away from where he skidded to a halt. To his dismay, a 6'2" University of Richmond Law School 2L was holding on to his ankles. The two engaged in an epic hand to feet combat. Daniel was dragged across the carpet and was wounded in the battle. The crook eventually managed to wriggle free and escaped out of the side doors.
[Above: Daniel's rug burn]
Meanwhile, Sleuth and Chris had finally subdued Dumb Crook #1, and although he continued to struggle slightly, Sleuth firmly held him in a headlock while Chris helped pin him to the ground. Jonathan and Daniel stood by the doors to prevent any further escape attempts, and an excited bellhop was yelling frantically into his walkie talkie for security guard assistance.
At this point, Sleuth made what some would deem a brash decision, motivated in part by the fact that he was beginning to feel a little awkward as he lay crotch-to-butt on top of a complete stranger in the middle of the Ritz floor. With words of motivation from Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris ringing in his ears, he and Chris picked the criminal up off the ground, and with all their strength slammed him up against the wall. The crook began to fight again, so Sleuth responded by choking his neck and sternly reprimanding him: "If you keep fighting I'm gonna keep choking you harder!!" As they pinned him to the wall, he began to grasp violently for his back left pocket, and realizing that he was likely trying to get a knife or other weapon, Chris yelled out to Sleuth and struggled to keep the Dumb Crook from reaching his pocket.
Security arrived just in the knick of time...
(to be continued)
Although they didn't know it at the time, that was exactly the situation the Fab Four were in when we last left them.
Imagine the familiar scene of the main street in a small western town...an empty dirt road with trading posts and saloons on either side. A few tumbleweed bouncing across the dusty street as two groups of cowboys square off, each staring resolutely at the other, daring them to make the first move. Good guys v. bad guys, everyone holding their breath in anticipation of what will happen. Time stands still...
This was nothing like that.
Jonathan was gathering his wits after being nearly run over by the fleeing jewel thieves, while Sleuth, Daniel and Chris were stuck somewhere between "speechless" and "braced for impact." The two crooks were flying full speed down the hallway toward the Fab Four - a collision was inevitable. That's when the Blackstone instinct kicked in, and the sharp minds of well-trained law students took over (though cleverly disguised by their chiseled abs and incredibly good looks). The three interns put their hands together, yelled "Triangulate!", and before you could say "Jack Robinson," the Sleuth, Daniel and Chris formed a flying V (which looks very much like a triangle) and jumped into action.
Dumb Crook #1 zigged and zagged to the right, heading straight for Sleuth. Now, when most guys dream of apprehending a criminal or warding off the bad guys, they probably imagine an amazing fist fight, or a flying tackle from a second story window. Evidently, the Sleuth had never thought about these things before, or if he had, the thought of a full fledge linebacker tackle did not cross his mind in the seconds leading up to his formal introduction to Dumb Crook #1. So when the the crook came barreling down on him at full speed, he did what immediately came to mind, and stepped aside to avoid the hit.
And then he tripped him.
Not just any trip, mind you, but a bonafide I-will-make-you-wish-you'd-never-walked-by-me trip. In fact, just to make sure the nature of his tripping was clear, Sleuth put a little umph behind his tripping leg. Instant replay later showed that he actually scissor-kicked the robber in the kneecaps.
[Below: Chris and Daniel show off their battle wounds]
Up went Dumb Crook #1's legs, down went Dumb Crook #1's head. His face planted right in the carpet. Sleuth whirled around, only to witness Chris "That's why my friends call me Whiskers" pounce on top of the crook like a cat on a mouse. Though the details are a bit hazy, the Fab Four later discussed and confirmed that at this point a voice from heaven boomed out: "Dogpile!" Sleuth needed no second invitation. He dove on top of Chris, and the three wrestled around on the ground for over a minute. Sleuth managed to get his right arm around Dumb Crook #1's head, and kept him in a headlock while he kicked and punched and kept yelling "It wasn't me...I didn't do it." The getaway car keys and black suitcase laying on the floor, now open with jewels strewn across the floor, suggested that Dumb Crook #1 was not being completely honest.
With Sleuth and Chris occupied, this left Daniel in a one-on-one with Dumb Crook #2. Unknown to many, Daniel was a star wide receiver in high school, and despite being removed from the game for over 4 years, his football skills were still sharp. So, like any good wide receiver does after his team has turned over the ball and he's suddenly faced with playing defense, Daniel did exactly what he was trained to do:
He dropped down in the fetal position and attempted to chop block the fleeing robber.
Daniel's coach would have been proud. The
robber flew threw the air and landed with a thud on the carpet behind him. To the robber's delight, the exit doors (and freedom) were only a few feet away from where he skidded to a halt. To his dismay, a 6'2" University of Richmond Law School 2L was holding on to his ankles. The two engaged in an epic hand to feet combat. Daniel was dragged across the carpet and was wounded in the battle. The crook eventually managed to wriggle free and escaped out of the side doors.[Above: Daniel's rug burn]
Meanwhile, Sleuth and Chris had finally subdued Dumb Crook #1, and although he continued to struggle slightly, Sleuth firmly held him in a headlock while Chris helped pin him to the ground. Jonathan and Daniel stood by the doors to prevent any further escape attempts, and an excited bellhop was yelling frantically into his walkie talkie for security guard assistance.
At this point, Sleuth made what some would deem a brash decision, motivated in part by the fact that he was beginning to feel a little awkward as he lay crotch-to-butt on top of a complete stranger in the middle of the Ritz floor. With words of motivation from Jack Bauer and Chuck Norris ringing in his ears, he and Chris picked the criminal up off the ground, and with all their strength slammed him up against the wall. The crook began to fight again, so Sleuth responded by choking his neck and sternly reprimanding him: "If you keep fighting I'm gonna keep choking you harder!!" As they pinned him to the wall, he began to grasp violently for his back left pocket, and realizing that he was likely trying to get a knife or other weapon, Chris yelled out to Sleuth and struggled to keep the Dumb Crook from reaching his pocket.
Security arrived just in the knick of time...
(to be continued)
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Sleuth Plays Football in the Ritz Carlton, Part I
The Sleuth once told me that he couldn't begin to count the number of times he'd heard or used the phrase "right place at the right time."
He CAN count the number of times that he has been in the right place at the right time. Once. More particularly, August 2, 2007.
It was a night like any other night (at least, any other night that you're spending in the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix). The Ritz staff were just finishing cleaning up the main conference room where the Blackstone Legal Fellowship had held its closing banquet for the 2007 summer internship. It was the last night of Blackstone '07 and everyone, and I do mean everyone, was headed to Nixon's (a local bar just around the corner) to top of the evening, and the summer, with some good ol' fellowshipping (and perhaps a brewski or two).
The hotel was empty. 10:30 is usually a dead time around the Ritz - too late for the average business traveler to be up and wandering around the facilities; too early for the rabble rousing crowd to be back from their night of frolicking and merriment.
Everyone from Blackstone was already at Nixon's, with the exception of a few stragglers. The Sleuth, Chris, and Daniel had finally made their way downstairs and were ready to enjoy one last night with friends. Jonathan hurriedly got cash from the ATM, so as not to keep the other three waiting. [See photo. Pictured left to right: Jonathan, Chris, Daniel, Sleuth].
Jonathan stuffed the Hamiltons into his wallet and started to walk down the hallway toward the side exit where Sleuth, Chris and Daniel were waiting impatiently. As he passed the main hallway that led past the elevators and the gift shop to the front lobby, check-in desk, and main entrance to the Ritz, he cast a glance to his left down the hall in hopes of seeing some celebrity milling about the lobby before heading out on the town. After all, the Braves, Giants, and Red Sox had all stayed in the Ritz since Blackstone had been there, and rumor had it that some of the Blackstone girls have even chatted it up with the Goo Goo Dolls one night in the hotel bar adjacent to the lobby. Seeing nothing, he kept walking.
Then he stopped. Like one of those games you see in the Sunday comics, something was not quite right in the mental picture of the main hallway that his mind had just taken. Confused, he took a few steps backward and looked down the hallway again. What was wrong with this picture? Mezmerized, he stared for over 30 seconds before suddenly processing what his eyes were witnessing.
Meanwhile, the fellas down the hall were getting antsy. One was ready to mingle, one was ready to play, and one was already tired and ready for bed. They urged Jonathan to pick up the pace, but he stood motionless and did not acknowledge their calls, instead staring down the hallway toward the front of the building. The seconds drug on, until finally he took a few steps toward them and nonchalantly said:
"Yall, I think these guys are robbing the Ritz."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than two men came tearing around the corner, knocked Jonathan out of the way, and headed down the hall toward Sleuth and Co. As he fell backwards, he managed to yell out, "Hey, stop those guys!"
Let us give you a verbal blueprint for the lay out of what happened next. The first floor of the Ritz contains numerous paintings and various decorative objects. The main hallway along the back of the hotel, off of which the various conference rooms open up, was lined with several display cabinets. The cabinets held expensive China, artifacts, jewelry, etc. There were several more similar hutches in the hallway that led to the front of the Ritz. As Jonathan had walked by the front hall, he had noticed two men standing next to an open hutch with a black suitcase in hand, unloading jewels from the display case and into the open suitcase. At first his mind had assumed they were Ritz employees. Then he backed up and looked again. After watching their behavior and the manner in which they were removing the jewelry, he quickly was convinced that they were not employees, but were in fact dubious hooligans of the thieving variety. The jewels they were taking did not belong to them, and as we all know, that's called stealing.
Jonathan realized what he was witnessing at just about the same time that the two thieves realized they were spotted. When he stepped past the hall intersection to alert us to the fact that the Ritz was being robbed, the robbers split. Knowing they'd never make it past the bellhops and security at the main entrance, their plan of escape was the side entrance, where 3 double doors and no bodies stood between them and freedom.
No bodies, that is, except Sleuth, Daniel, and Chris.
There are certain situations in life when your mind and body begin acting, usually react, long before you've actually thought about what was actually happening. Like an animal, a person's instincts kick in, and you act not as a result of contemplated conduct, but merely as a reaction to the situation presented. This was one of those times.
In under 1.5 seconds the two robbers covered the 75+ feet between the intersection of the halls and where Sleuth, Chris, and Daniel stood surprised. Seeing only 3 average law students standing in confusion between them and freedom, the two robbers figured they could blow past these unknowing bystanders and be out the door in no time.
They couldn't have been more wrong...
(To be continued...)
He CAN count the number of times that he has been in the right place at the right time. Once. More particularly, August 2, 2007.
It was a night like any other night (at least, any other night that you're spending in the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix). The Ritz staff were just finishing cleaning up the main conference room where the Blackstone Legal Fellowship had held its closing banquet for the 2007 summer internship. It was the last night of Blackstone '07 and everyone, and I do mean everyone, was headed to Nixon's (a local bar just around the corner) to top of the evening, and the summer, with some good ol' fellowshipping (and perhaps a brewski or two).
The hotel was empty. 10:30 is usually a dead time around the Ritz - too late for the average business traveler to be up and wandering around the facilities; too early for the rabble rousing crowd to be back from their night of frolicking and merriment.
Everyone from Blackstone was already at Nixon's, with the exception of a few stragglers. The Sleuth, Chris, and Daniel had finally made their way downstairs and were ready to enjoy one last night with friends. Jonathan hurriedly got cash from the ATM, so as not to keep the other three waiting. [See photo. Pictured left to right: Jonathan, Chris, Daniel, Sleuth].
Jonathan stuffed the Hamiltons into his wallet and started to walk down the hallway toward the side exit where Sleuth, Chris and Daniel were waiting impatiently. As he passed the main hallway that led past the elevators and the gift shop to the front lobby, check-in desk, and main entrance to the Ritz, he cast a glance to his left down the hall in hopes of seeing some celebrity milling about the lobby before heading out on the town. After all, the Braves, Giants, and Red Sox had all stayed in the Ritz since Blackstone had been there, and rumor had it that some of the Blackstone girls have even chatted it up with the Goo Goo Dolls one night in the hotel bar adjacent to the lobby. Seeing nothing, he kept walking.
Then he stopped. Like one of those games you see in the Sunday comics, something was not quite right in the mental picture of the main hallway that his mind had just taken. Confused, he took a few steps backward and looked down the hallway again. What was wrong with this picture? Mezmerized, he stared for over 30 seconds before suddenly processing what his eyes were witnessing.
Meanwhile, the fellas down the hall were getting antsy. One was ready to mingle, one was ready to play, and one was already tired and ready for bed. They urged Jonathan to pick up the pace, but he stood motionless and did not acknowledge their calls, instead staring down the hallway toward the front of the building. The seconds drug on, until finally he took a few steps toward them and nonchalantly said:
"Yall, I think these guys are robbing the Ritz."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than two men came tearing around the corner, knocked Jonathan out of the way, and headed down the hall toward Sleuth and Co. As he fell backwards, he managed to yell out, "Hey, stop those guys!"
Let us give you a verbal blueprint for the lay out of what happened next. The first floor of the Ritz contains numerous paintings and various decorative objects. The main hallway along the back of the hotel, off of which the various conference rooms open up, was lined with several display cabinets. The cabinets held expensive China, artifacts, jewelry, etc. There were several more similar hutches in the hallway that led to the front of the Ritz. As Jonathan had walked by the front hall, he had noticed two men standing next to an open hutch with a black suitcase in hand, unloading jewels from the display case and into the open suitcase. At first his mind had assumed they were Ritz employees. Then he backed up and looked again. After watching their behavior and the manner in which they were removing the jewelry, he quickly was convinced that they were not employees, but were in fact dubious hooligans of the thieving variety. The jewels they were taking did not belong to them, and as we all know, that's called stealing.
Jonathan realized what he was witnessing at just about the same time that the two thieves realized they were spotted. When he stepped past the hall intersection to alert us to the fact that the Ritz was being robbed, the robbers split. Knowing they'd never make it past the bellhops and security at the main entrance, their plan of escape was the side entrance, where 3 double doors and no bodies stood between them and freedom.
No bodies, that is, except Sleuth, Daniel, and Chris.
There are certain situations in life when your mind and body begin acting, usually react, long before you've actually thought about what was actually happening. Like an animal, a person's instincts kick in, and you act not as a result of contemplated conduct, but merely as a reaction to the situation presented. This was one of those times.
In under 1.5 seconds the two robbers covered the 75+ feet between the intersection of the halls and where Sleuth, Chris, and Daniel stood surprised. Seeing only 3 average law students standing in confusion between them and freedom, the two robbers figured they could blow past these unknowing bystanders and be out the door in no time.
They couldn't have been more wrong...
(To be continued...)
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