Dawn's first assignment

The next morning, Dawn arrived at the newly renovated county-owned swimming pool – equipped with a notepad, a pen and the family digital camera. It was a beautiful day and she was already feeling hot as she made the short walk from the parking lot to the gates. She had chosen the same professional outfit as yesterday, but now she couldn't help feeling a bit overdressed.

The water park was packed with people in swimwear, jumping at the chance to have a dip and to enjoy the free hotdogs and ice cream that was being handed out. Dawn didn't waste any time. She started interviewing attendees about their feelings about the new facilities, and she made sure to select people from a variety of age groups and ethnic backgrounds. She also found a woman from the local council to attest the importance of public recreational facilities for the lesser affluent parts of the community.

She had been working for a good hour when the mayor finally showed up. Mayor Richard Thompson arrived in a large black sedan with an entourage of important looking people in tow. Without any prelude he got up on a podium with a microphone, placed specially there for the grand opening.

Thompson was a bald and overweight white man in his mid sixties. Sweating profusely in his dark suit, he made a speech about how delighted he was to welcome everybody to the brand new pools, water slides, changing rooms and state-of-the-art gym of the modernized park. Occasionally he drifted off for a few moments, seemingly distracted by the sight of some of the young and bikini-clad female attendees. Dawn snapped several photos and made meticulous notes of his entire speech.

Then the mayor cut the ribbon and finally declared the new Pine County Aquatic Park and Leisure Centre officially open. The crowd applauded and many of the young visitors cheered and plunged headlong into the main pool, clearly against the explicit rules of the facility.

Dawn realized too late that she was standing too close to the water. An overweight teenage boy threw himself over the edge right next to her shouting ”CANNONBALL” and suddenly a wave of heavily chlorinated water washed over the poor reporter.

At the same time, Thompson had already stepped down from the podium and he was making his way back to his car. The dripping wet Dawn panicked and ran towards him. Damn! She had assumed that the mayor would talk to the press after his speech. But that was clearly not the case, and now she was about to miss her opportunity!

”Excuse me, Mayor Thompson!” she shouted as she ran through the crowd, ”Dawn Parker from the Gazette, can I have a few questions?”

A female press secretary with a stern look on her face got in Dawn's way. Thompson, who was just about to get into his car, raised his hand and dismissed her.

”Sorry sweetheart, no individual interviews.”