Previously on the "Inducing Panic Affair" - our heroes are vindicated in court.
I assumed the whole saga was over, and went back to my normal life. A few months later, I got a call at the office from the local NBC station (WCMH-4), asking me about the whole thing. For some reason, they were suddenly interested in a dead story. They wanted to get my footage, and I explained that I had not gotten around to picking up my camcorder at the courthouse (I guess I wanted the dust to settle first). The reporter (Bob Singleton--since retired) asked me when I could get it, and I replied that I was taking the bus to work, so it would be a while before I could arrange it. He replied "no problem--we'll meet you at your office when you get off work". I came out the front door and the Channel 4 News Van whisked me away.
We met with the judge in the case, Deborah Pryce, who was later our US Congresswoman. She and Singleton chatted for a moment, we left with the camcorder, and they dropped me off at my apartment, promising to return with the camera after they dubbed it off. Singleton called back a bit later--could they also interview me when they came out? Sure, why not? Keep in mind that "Brian" was our producer, and really should have been involved--but he was back in college and out of town by that point. I picked out my Late Night with David Letterman sweatshirt (I figured it wouldn't hurt, with them being NBC and all). Singleton shot some footage with me in my apartment, handed me the camcorder, and thanked me again.
I set up the VCR to tape what I assumed would be a "and finally in the news" wacky story at the end of the news broadcast. This was during the 1988 Summer Olympics, so the news ended up being shown very late and very condensed--so my story was dumped, right? Wrong.
The news (anchored by Angela Pace, now working in PR for another station) started with a national story about a guy who was shot in a cathedral in New York. The second story--THE FIRST LOCAL STORY--was the "Inducing Panic" saga. It started with live video with Singleton from the scene of the crime--the unfinished freeway in the middle of the night. Not sure why that made sense. He gave an intro, then onto my footage, followed by a few quotes from me in my apartment. He wrapped it up with a pithy quote, followed by Pace announcing that our show would be called "Inducing Panic". Free advertising!
Next--we wrap up the story in a neat little bow.