A Hidden World

Awards Ceremony

Our entourage enters a theater by a back door and we walk on stage. Media people line a front row. I am ushered to center stage. Kathy is on my one side. On my right sits Gerry. I lean over to him, "Tell South Dakota, teacher Tammy Richards died of her injuries. I have not decided to stay." He nods.

Having only seen this theater from the back row, I now realize how huge it really is. Two monster balconies stretch from wall to wall, above where we sat at the assessment. Everyone has a good view of that massive screen behind us. Those of us on stage must look like ants in comparison.

Spectators are an ocean of white shirts and black pants. At five minutes to the hour, lights dim a little. I notice through open doorways lights are flashing in hallways. Queues of people who are standing and chatting with each other dissipate into seats. It seems every eye in front of us follows my every twitch. Within a minute, this building is full of seated people. A deafening quiet covers the massive hall as lights dim and Gerry stands.

"To make everyone understand the situation this society finds itself in, I need to point out that this awards ceremony, awards and more than five people congregating in a single place are illegal under martial law. We can't proceed without permission of our governor general.

"Governor General Tammy, this awards ceremony is traditionally a weekly affair. Confirmed awards we wish to bestow tonight, were prior to a declaration of martial law. Will you allow this ceremony and these awards stand?"

I reply, "This ceremony represents people doing outstanding things for the benefit of others. This is a celebration of courage, integrity, ingenuity and honor. This ceremony represents citizens at their very best. They are your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, neighbours, and friends doing great service for you, this society, and our community. Please continue."

Gerry replies, "Thank you. These last seven days proved to be a watershed here. As if destiny, a schoolteacher trapped in a basement of a destroyed school broke the dam. For the first time in our history, she won two gold medals in a single day. She accomplished this feat on her first day here. The next day, a rescuer who saved her life, shattered that record by winning three gold medal awards. Since that day, we haven't instantly awarded anything. She's had us far too busy.

"Civilian awards are denoted by a blue fringe, legal awards by a red fringe, education awards by a white fringe, and rescuer awards by a gold fringe. Individual awards are a medal disk. Organizational awards are an octagon. Winning categories are gold, our highest possible award, silver, bronze, then citations and certificates. Groups win only citations and certificates.

"Only once in our history were medals awarded to a single person from two different primary sections of our society. Retired Rescuer Shannon won a bronze medal as a security officer. Then some time later from our rescuers for her innovative upgrades to rescue suits. Today, records will be shattered.

"Our usual procedure at these awards, where people receiving awards are brought forward, can't be done today. Gold medal award winners will be brought to a special presentation ceremony later and receive them there. We'll hand out silver, bronze, citation, and certificate awards tomorrow morning starting at nine.

"Normally awards are handed out by a highest ranking member of an organization for which an award is won. This may not be possible. Many of our senior members of those organizations will be in conference tomorrow to try to resolve the severe issues facing our society. We'll only focus on gold medal awards this evening.

"There are one thousand seventy eight citations and certificates for groups of people, three hundred fifty seven bronze medals and two hundred thirty two silver medals to award."