February 9,2004

Hey

    By now most of you have heard so I apologize for being redundant, but I had my first story in the
Post Saturday.
    The way the paper works is, you have the editor in chief, who ultimately decides what goes in the
paper. You have the managing editors, who detemine what size the stories can be. Then you have the
Metro editor. The Metro editor is like a dispatcher, in that he or she decides who to send on a story.
    Friday night, I was doing my normal job (making copies, delivering memos) when Bruce the Librarian
came over to me. Bruce had been telling me to go around and let the Metro editors know that I want to
write. But there's never a good time, its always crazy. On this night, with no other reporters around, the
Friday night Metro editor, Bill Gorta, had decided to send me to the 103 Pct in Jamaica to cover a press
conference. A guy who had been selling cigarettes illegally had tried to bribe the seargent into letting him
stay in business. This idiot made the offer on the steps of the stationhouse. He was arrested and
charged with bribery.
    So I hopped on the F train and headed to that Garden of Eden (A.K.A Jamaica, Queens) on a rainy
Friday night. I got to the house at 8:45 for the 9 PM Press conference. Channel's 2,4, & 7 were there as
well as a writer from the Daily News. I also met Juan Gonzalez (Not THE Juan Gonzalez, but a Post
photgrapher) He gave me some pointers.
    Then the Post called. Bill said "Hey I didn't realize this was your first story. Look just relax it's not big
deal. Write down as much as you can, don't be afriad to ask questions and introduce yourself to the
other writers. It's a press conference so nobody's scooping anyone" That put me at ease.
    The cops came down and gave the details of the case. I really didn't ask any questions, just a couple
of follow-ups to make sure my notes were correct. When it was over, Juan offered to drive me back to
Manhattan. That was good because I needed to do "a dump" (I was nervous, but not THAT newrvous)
Kidding. A "dump" in newspaper terms, is when a reporter covers a story, then phones it back into the
newsroom, where someone writes the actual story. I called Bill who patched me through to Zach
Haberman. Zach's 26, but his family is huge in the newspaper business. His parents work for the Times
and his sister Maggie, is the City Hall chief for the News. He's a natural. I kept saying I was sorry
because there was some info that I should have had but didn't "Look stop apologizing, everyone has a
first time." He gave me some advice, then asked me what I wanted my byline to be.
    Wow. I've been thinking about that since I started working there. I thought about being official and
saying William J. Gallagher, but in the end, I just went with Bill Gallagher. (WildWill45 wasn't in the
running) I guess if I become a stuffed shirt I can change it, but in the end who gives a crap?
    When I got back to the Post, I got an ovation and a ton of handshakes. I can't begin to describe the
feeling I got when I opened the paper later on and saw my name on the story. Lets put it this way. When I
was a kid, I used to watch guys score game winning goals or hit game winning home runs and say I'd
love to have that feeling. I'm 30 years old now, and when athletes get to be 30, it's getting near the end.
For the rest of us, it's still the relative beginning. And Friday night, when I saw that story on page 11,
well, I felt like a 22 year rookie, who just hit a homer in the bottom of the 9th.
    I spent most of Saturday e-mailing and talking to people on the phone and celebrating with my family.
Saturday night, I decided to celebrate with a frosty beverage or two in the city. I normally work Saturday
night, but a schedule change gave me Friday instead. Still I wanted to shoot by the Post and talk to
Bruce, who I thought was the one who suggested to Bill to send me.
    I got another round of congrats when I got in, and I got to talking to Bruce who said he had nothing to
do with it, besides tracking me down Friday night. As I was getting ready to leave, Todd Venezia, the
Saturday night city editor said "Hey, I heard you got your first by-line." I said yeah, and he said "Do you
want your second?"
    Seems as though an official at the Millrose Games who was reported to have died was actually alive
but in critical condition. So Todd had me call Bellevue Hospital to confirm that he was alive. I also called
his house and the U.S. Track and Field Association.
The best part about this was that I actually got to write the story. I submitted it to Todd and he made a
couple of changes but for the most part, it was all me.
    After that I went to Metro 53. I should have went to OTB, with the luck I was having. Metro was
crowded and I didn't see anyone I knew, so I jetted over to Social, where I ran into Sheila, Danielle and
Melissa. After a few drinks, and nearly having my jacket swiped, I split a cab with
Dee and Mo back to Queens.

    There's also some sad news. Our friend Joann Hili's father passed away on Friday. Anyone who
knows Jo knows what a truly wonderful friend she is and  that she'd run through a brick wall for anyone.
So please, say a prayer for her and her family. Thanks.

Ok it's twenty after four, I guess I should turn in.
I'll write more tomorrow.
Have a Great Week
Billy G