No Smart Car for me :(
The event was to
begin at 6:30pm at Star Motors. After leaving work, I picked Sandra up at
work and we drove to the dealership. We would have arrived at around 5:50pm, so
we took a short detour to Timmy's to grab a coffee and then parked in the Costco
parking lot to have a smoke (or two, in my case) I asked Sandra if she was
nervous and she said no. I was a bag of nerves. Maybe this was a
good sign, we thought, because she's usually nervous about stuff like
this.
At around 6:10pm, we
drove to the dealership which was only a few minutes away. They had a guy
standing at the entrance checking invitations, since the entire dealership was
closed down for the event. He told us to drive around back, park and head on
in.
There were already a
lot of people there, maybe just over half of the 34 qualifiers and their guests.
It turns out they also had other Smart Car owners there as well, since it was
also a customer appreciate party that they hold once in a
while.
Just inside the
entrance they had a desk with two people, a whack load of gift bags and white
"Read Red" Ottawa Sun T-shirts, and a short line-up of people waiting to
register. We were about fifth or sixth in line, but it was slow going. When it
was my turn, I handed the guy my driver's licence, he checked it and wrote down
some info, then I was handed the sheet he filled out. On it was a skill testing
question to answer, then print my name and sign it.
The skill testing
question was easy, as they usually are: 10 x 4 / 2 + 5 - 15.
The division sign
looked a little like a plus sign at first. I had to ask Sandra if it looked like
a division or plus. She agreed it was a division. So, in my head I'm
working it out... "10 times 4 is 40... divided by 2 is 20... plus 5 is 25...
minus 15 is..." brain freeze. So easy, but I was nervous! :)
"Duh... 10.. that's it." I looked it over quickly to make sure I
was right.
They handed me a
large gift bag and asked me to take one of the white T-shirts and wear it and
wished me good luck. All the qualifiers had to wear one so they were easy to
spot. We stepped to the side and I put the T-shirt on over the T-shirt I was
wearing. That's when I had to ask Sandra if I got it right. She assured me I
did.
They were serving
burgers and sausages at the other side of the show room. We walked over and I
grabbed a bottle of water. I was too nervous to eat
anything.
There must have been
15-20 people in line to register now.
We checked out the
car they were giving away. I had heard that they were roomy, and had seen one a
few years earlier, but not this close. It's VERY roomy inside. Sandra got in
tried it out for size. They had 4 snow tires stacked beside the car. They
announced later that they were including them with the car.
We stepped outside
for a smoke break while waiting for them to begin the draw. I think
it must have been close to 7:00pm when they announced how the draw was going to
take place.
We walked back into
the show room as they spoke. What they would do is pick a name out of one
box, then that person would go up and pick a number out of a second box.
The number you picked would be matched with a numbered CD. You then got
into the car and popped the CD into the car stereo and if it played the sound of
a car starting, you won. Anything else meant you lost.
They began with some
speeches by the various sponsor: Ottawa Sun people, Live 88.5 people, and the
manager of the dealership. McEwan's gas was also a big sponsor, but
I don't recall if any of them spoke. They also announced that they have another
contest coming in January where they will be giving away TWO Smart cars.
As one prize or two? We don't know yet.
Next, they
called each person's name and you had to raise your hand to
acknowledge that you were still there(?) Then, before the big draw, they drew a
few names for some Thule car bags(?) donated by JREK
Autocare.
FINALLY, it was time
for the big prize draw.
The first thought in
our minds was "Wouldn't that suck if the first person won it?"
Surely, not for that person! :) I had my hands in my pockets, with fingers
crossed the whole time, between applauding each person as they went up to pick a
number.
My mind was a jumble
of thoughts. Do I want to be an early pick? Or a later one?
The more people who try and lose, the better the odds for the remaining people,
right?
One by one they called names. One by one, they lost. Sandra actually tracked the odds as they went along. The losing sound was a "Whaa whaa whaa whaa whaaaaaa...." followed by a female voice "I know baby... it hurts to lose" followed by a few different voices... "Loser... loser... lahoo-saher". Umm... a little harsh, perhaps. I think some of the Live 88.5 folks thought so too, but everyone had a good laugh.
They were down to
the last 16 numbers when my name was finally called. A 1 in 16
chance. I walked up, reached into the box and pulled out a number.
#14. They handed me CD #14. I walked over to the car and hopped
in. A woman from Live 88.5 (I think) hopped into the passenger seat and
chatted away, wishing me luck (I think). Seriously, it's all pretty much a blur
from this point on. I can't remember a thing she said. I was nervous as
hell. I took the CD out of the sleeve and put it into the car's CD deck
while the radio played away. Seconds later the radio stopped...... followed by
"Whaa whaa whaa whaa whaaaaaa...." *sigh* I pressed the eject
button before it could continue, like many before me had done. I got to
keep the CD. Yay. ;)
I got out of the car
and walked back to Sandra and dropped the "loser CD" into the gift bag. We
then continued to watch as more names were called. THREE people later,
this elderly man's name was called. He walked up, reached into the box and
pulled out a number. #22. He got the CD, walked over to the car and
got in. He didn't look very nervous. In fact, he was quite
expressionless. He popped the CD into the deck.
The sound of an
engine starting played over the speakers, followed by some winning
style music. Cheers and applause erupted in the show room.
He seemed stunned.
Or in shock? Or just ho hum. No emotion whatsoever.
Photographers snapped photos like crazy. He got out of the car and the DJ,
Katfish Morgan from Live 88.5, asked him how many cars he's won in his
life. He responded... "Umm... I don't know... I lost count"
Seriously, that's what he said. Just joking or serious? It was
difficult to tell.
The DJ thanked
everyone for coming, yada yada yada, and then most people hustled out the door,
as did we.
As we drove past the
showroom, I could see a crowd of people all getting their picture taken. The
winner and sponsors, no doubt.
I think Sandra is
more disappointed than I am, oddly enough. A second car, especially one so good
on mileage, would really have been nice to have.
Oh ya, the gift bag
-- what was in it?
- 2 plastic Ottawa Sun mugs w/ lids
- 3 "Read Red" Smart Car key chains
- 1 Ottawa Sun T-shirt (different than the one they made us wear)
- 1 Ottawa Sun blanket
- 4 tickets to an Ottawa 67's hockey game
- 1 manicure set
- 2 Ottawa Sun car window ice scrapers
- A brochure/discount coupons for JREK Autocare
- $100 in gift certificates for McEwan's Gas (which I originally won for qualifying back in June)
I think that's about
it!
Fun, excitement, and
disappointment all rolled up into one evening. At least I didn't come away empty
handed.
Both Sandra and I
will be entering the next contest in January.
:)