Watching and listening in the information Den

While working up what the heck I was going to run by the DD producer, I observed and eavesdropped. The scruffy young fella sporting what looked like a hand-knit knapsack had been two ahead of me in the registration line. Guy between us asked "What's your product?" Scruffy point to his knapsack. Guy between us said "Oh yeah. I've seen them around" Scruffy wilted before our very eyes: "You can't have. It's an original." As Mayor David Miller walked through the crowd to the front to give his welcome speech, a well-groomed young man took advantage of the several second 'delay' to try to pitch Dragon Robert Herjavec on something that looked like a small skateboard. A woman said, to no-one in particular: "Look at that: he's just gotten right in there to give his pitch. " I note a man and woman circle each-other warily. Man says, "You were on last year weren't you?" Turns out they'd both pitched last season.. and were part of what I realized were 'Dragon Heads': devotees and groupies who come to as many Dragon events as they can. I learned that while the Dragon's were all 'in' on guy's pitch, he decided against taking their money. The woman also had the Dragon's 'all in'. As due diligence and negociations evolved, Dragon's wanted more of the business than had been offered... for way more money. "Of course we went for it." Interrrresting. The stage set for the session to begin; Miller says his bit (making a crack about CBC being one of Canada's two national networks.. sorry Global) and then right into Diane and Herjavec. The room is (temporarily) attentive...