Column: Hat in hand, vendor asks for apology but is blocked

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Wednesday’s column (read it here) is about Monday’s Upland council meeting and the unusual claim that a councilman got belligerent at a hat booth at the L.A. County Fair. If nothing else, it was a good excuse to make a lot of hat jokes. Why, you might say the column is full to the brim.

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  • Ms. Lois

    Thanks, David. I loved all the hat puns!

  • shirley wofford

    I was taught in elementary school that America is a great melting pot; one of the reasons our forefathers came here was to have the freedom to worship as they chose. Looks like we still have a long way to go, when it comes to religious tolerance; sexual orientation tolerance, racial tolerance, etc. The audience member needs a tolerance group.

    Hat Zone Guy: Loosen up–Working with the public requires a lot of coping skills. In your line of work, “How to Deal with Inebriated Customers”, should probably be one of the topics at your orientation sessions. I make no judgment on whether or not, you have identified the right customer. Maybe you could get a transfer to the popcorn stand next year (I ran a popcorn stand at the fair once, and my tenure was cut short when I burned my hand severely, by accidentally pouring the hot oil on it. I would have been better off with a drunk.)

  • Ramona

    How hard would it be for the councilman to apologize to the vendor even if he wasn’t the person who caused the kerfuffle?

    It would take seconds out of his (and everyone else’s) day and we could all move on. Guys playing “quien es mas macho” (who is the best man) wastes time and energy that could be put to much better use.

    [True, to a point, but would you really tell someone "I apologize for assaulting you" if you hadn't assaulted him and weren't even there? Besides, it would be fraught for a public figure to do that because it's an admission of guilt and would be difficult to take back ("I only apologized for assaulting him to be nice, not because I actually assaulted him"). -- DA]

  • Dee

    Just my opinion, but if he apologized it would mean he was guilty. If he was guilty it would open him up for a lawsuit. Just one more example of how lawyers are “helping” society.

  • Gary

    Sounds like someone put him up to it ??? Just says!!!

  • Judi

    I think Gino’s brother is paying this guy (in some way) to force the issue. Why push the issue against a Fair Board Member if you are a vendor who wants to continue to have a good spot at the fair? Sounds like brotherly love, or lack thereof, to me.

    [Oooh, conspiracy. -- DA]

  • Ramona

    David, you and Dee are absolutely on the money about the apology. I hadn’t considered the apology as an admission of guilt and the liability thereof.

    I guess my mindset isn’t litigious enough.

    Thanks for the enlightenment.

    [You're welcome. -- DA]

  • Bob Terry

    I was wondering when someone was going to bring up the “et tu, brother”…good job Judi. In these neck of dem woods, Altacucawanda, you are either a “Joey” or a “Gino” when it comes to their feud. Or, like myself, you couldn’t care less about the trials and tribulations of the clan and just enjoy Joey’s great wine and the beautiful, but a little gaudy, tasting room. Cheers!

  • Upland Observer

    David,

    I am surprised that such a keen observer as yourself missed the part of the pre meeting antics that involved Mr. Filippi attempting to intimidate the accuser (who Gino claims he had never met) prior to the council meeting. If he had never met him, and had done nothing wrong, how did he pick him out of the crowded room, and engage him in conversation prior to the meeting police chief in tow.

    You might think Gino is wrongly accused, but it sure made me wonder.