During a late-night trip to the Memorial Union, "Guitar Hero" tunes ricochet off the empty walls. In the Safety Escort office, two students fix their eyes to a TV - plastic guitars in hand - and battle it out on the interactive video game. Three others lounge nearby. Where can we sign up for this job?
It's paid fun until the phone rings. Music is silenced, the computer is put to sleep and the guitars are gone. "Safety Escort," one girl says. "How may I help you?"
This week, SPM sits down with photography sophomore Mike Ford and business management sophomore Simon Chelebian to talk with the guys who drive those sweet golf carts across campus in the middle of the night.
SPM: Don't I know you?
Ford: Yeah, I'm that guy who works at Safety Escort.
SPM: Pretty descriptive. Thanks. Does anyone ever actually say that to you?
Chelebian: All the time. At parties, girls are always like, "I know you - you're the Safety Escort guy!"
SPM: I guess you have your pickup line set. So are you just in it to meet all the freshmen who live on campus?
Chelebian: Um, I'm not going to say anything. I don't want to look bad.
SPM: Fair enough. You get any numbers from the people you drive?
Chelebian: Yeah, but I never ask.
SPM: It must be your sweet ride.
Ford: We're working on getting rims.
SPM: Aside from playing "Guitar Hero," what do you guys do when nobody's calling?
Ford: We're pretty busy most of the time, but if we're not, I walk over to Taco Bell.
SPM: This job just got even more appealing. Ever had a Safety-Escort-saves-the-day moment?
Chelebian: One time this girl ran up to the car and was freaking out because this cracked-out guy was following her. He started walking toward us - he looked like a mummy - and all the other girls in the van started screaming. I showed up just in time.
SPM: What a hero. Any aspirations for your post-Safety Escort endeavors?
Ford: I think I might be an RA. You get your room paid for and you meet ... a lot of freshmen.
SPM: Back to those freshmen! Do you ever feel like you're a paid designated driver?
Ford: Sometimes. We're not supposed to drive people who are intoxicated, but safety's our goal. That's the bottom line: safety first.
Rech the reporter at: nicole.m.stewart@asu.edu.
