Early Thursday evening, at the office, I got word that my badge was "waiting for me" to pick up. I went back to the Waldorf, where I was told (actually, on the street corner outside) that I would have to go to 48th Street to be escorted in by a policeman. When I got to 48th Street, however, the cops there were mystified; it seems nobody had told them they were to be providing escort services. No matter, one of the officers kindly offered to walk with me to the hotel--where, unfortunately, I got the same sort of welcome I had gotten earlier in the day: I was told that my name was nowhere to be found among the lists of those people with accreditation. I was told to try the press center in the Intercontinental--back on 48th Street.

At the press center the young lady behind the counter also was unable to find my name in the computer, but, after I asked if I could see Charles McLean, the WEF's press spokesman, I suddenly got lucky; a young man in the office remembered that McLean had left instructions that I was to be given a badge, and he set about taking my picture and issuing the badge. Somebody else in the press office told me I should go to the Waldorf and collect my Forum bag and iPaq.

Back to the Waldorf I trudged, only to discover a huge line of people waiting at the iPaq counter. I went to the bag counter instead and flashed my badge. "Do you have a ticket?" I was asked. No, I explained, I had just been given my badge but had received nothing else. Well, I was told, I would need a ticket, which I should be able to get from the registration desk.

At the registration desk, I was told that I had not been properly registered, but that was remediable. I gave the young lady some additional information and she said she should be able to have everything straightened out within half an hour. At that point I was thoroughly exhausted and suggested that I come back for the missing paperwork the next morning. That was a fine idea, she said.

Friday morning I returned to the registration desk, where, after some initial confusion, somebody handed me a small yellow ticket for the bag and a blue card for the iPaq. Success at last? Not quite. I got my bag without any further problems, but at the iPaq counter I was turned away again for not being "in the database." After some delay I was told that I would have to see one of McLean's assistants.

She met me at the press center and ushered me into the bar next door--not to drink; just to sit at the bar and talk--and she explained that I would not be getting an iPaq because (a) there weren't enough of them to give to all the paying customers, and (b) that I wasn't even supposed to have a badge at all.

She said my name was not in the database because nobody had intended me to be accredited. She claimed to know nothing of McLean's telling me--on Tuesday--that a badge would be waiting for me at the Waldorf. But what was really on her mind was the piece I had written to you (which was printed in Friday's paper) detailing the problems I've been encountering in the registration process. She said that it was completely wrong and had caused distress among the staff--even though I had taken pains to note that all the WEF staff people I had dealt with were helpful, courteous and even empathetic.

Now, I don't really need an iPaq. And, having covered dozens of conferences all over the world, I certainly don't need another black bag. But I can't help but feel that I am not really welcome at the Waldorf and, what is worse, that that feeling is compromising my objectivity. If there really is a global divide between the "haves" (such as the sort of people who run and participate in the Forum) and the "have-nots," then my place is certainly with the latter group.

Still, I will try to soldier on and remain as professional as possible. These people may not like me, but I think I can rise above such petty feelings and continue to do my job. At least I intend to keep trying. I just want you to understand how much of an uphill battle that requires.
--Jack Freeman