The "Great Conference Kerfuffle" began exactly forty-eight hours before the Global Tech Summit, when Arthur, a junior assistant with a penchant for over-preparedness, realized he had three thousand printed badges but zero ways to attach them to human beings.
When the doors opened the following day, three thousand attendees walked through the lobby. They didn't notice the "tear-resistant" seams or the "anti-glare" finish. They just clipped them on, shook hands, and began to talk.
Arthur didn't panic. Not yet. He opened his laptop and typed three words into his search engine like a prayer: buy name tag holders .
He found a supplier that felt like a lifeline. He loaded his cart: 2,000 clear plastic pouches with (the Swiss Army knife of badge holders) and 1,000 high-end magnets for the VIPs. He clicked "Express Checkout" with the intensity of a man diffusing a bomb.
"Bulk quantities," he muttered, filtering his search. "Next-day shipping. Caribou County delivery."