n obstacle is a steppingstone to success."

"It is always darkest before the dawn."

"Every cloud has a silver lining."

Those three clichés come to mind when you think about positives that emerge from negative circumstances. But, in retrospect, that is exactly how I feel after surviving the East Coast blackout of August 14, 2003 as a visitor to New York City.

Yes, it was scary. Yes, there was a lot of anxiety about what really had happened, how long it would last, how friends and loved ones were dealing with it, and what we were going to do for food and other basic amenities. And, yes, being in a blackout while hundreds of miles from home, in a strange city and strange surroundings, with no car and no way out, not knowing what to expect, could have been devastating.

But you know what? It was the best blackout we ever had.

I was one of 250 Business Payment Systems sales representatives who were at the Park Central Hotel in Manhattan for the second annual BPS conference. Shortly after 4:15 p.m., the lights in the conference room began to flicker, and a few minutes later they went out completely.

The conference continued until 6:30 because the meeting room had floor-to-ceiling windows and there was plenty of daylight. But the lack of air conditioning became oppressive, and by early evening we learned the extent of the blackout and realized that the lights would not come on anytime soon.

But then the great "BPS Machine" kicked into high gear. It was amazing to watch.

Many of us had no idea what to do. Should we stay or should we go? Go where? The airports were closed. There was no train service. We were stuck, for better or for worse.

The BPS staff as well as the vendors in attendance made sure it was for the better. It was not long before deli sandwiches, beverages, potato salad, coleslaw and chips appeared, as if by magic. Before the blackout, everyone had been excited about attending the BPS Extravaganza at the Sky Club. We were supposed to enjoy dinner and dancing overlooking the city on the 52nd floor, but little did we know that the lights would not be on for another 10 hours!

Total strangers, such as a newlywed couple from Italy, joined our impromptu party. None of us could speak Italian, and these folks could barely speak or understand English. We had a great time interacting with them, but I am certain they had no idea they were crashing a private function.

We ate, laughed and eventually were forced out of the conference room by some big hotel security guys when it got dark, and we ended up in the lobby and in front of the hotel. We heard about people trapped on subways and people stuck on the upper floors of some buildings. We heard that some generators had failed and that traffic was a nightmare throughout the city. We learned about the extent of the power failure and realized that new plans for the conference would have to be made.

Most of the hotel rooms secured for the conference were on the 23rd to 25th floors, and the hotel staff discouraged any notion of climbing the stairs. The rooms were hot and dark. A few of the sales representatives who live locally were able to make it home, but most of us did not have that option.

However, a number of vendors and sales reps who could have left chose to stay. One of them was Mike Grossman of Lipman USA, who lives nearby and had transportation available. Mike is on the road more than he is home. He knows how to deal with just about anything that can occur when traveling.

Once Mike determined that his family was OK, he told his wife that he thought his presence might help the BPS folks. Upon hearing that, she insisted that he stay. Mike let us know that, in the event it could be useful, his vehicle was available. In fact, the next day Mike drove Ron Williams of Global eTelecom all the way to Philadelphia to catch a train.

Mike was impressed with the BPS staffers and their organization, but his thoughtfulness was impressive, too. He provided pizzas for our street party in front of the hotel and invited Mark Flanagan of Debisys to share his hotel room.

Ken Racioppi of Comstar Interactive Corp. lives in West Orange, N.J., and easily could have made it back to his home, which had power. However, Ken knew that having his vehicle available, as an option for an emergency, would benefit the entire group, and he also knew that if he left he might not be able to get back into the city for the presentation he was scheduled to give the next day. He spent the night in his parked car and gave his talk Friday without having slept, showered or changed clothes.

Randy Sagar, Senior Vice President of Regional Sales at NPC, was on a subway train when the power went out. Everyone on Randy's train was extricated relatively quickly, and, once the severity of the blackout was recognized, he and Business Payment Systems CEO Sam Chanin made certain we were comfortable. Randy gave Sam carte blanche to do whatever was necessary to take care of the conference attendees.

Scott Rutledge of The Phoenix Group said he was impressed with the dynamics of the BPS group, and he also was fascinated with the speed with which the meal appeared. But he also said that the actions of BPS staff did not surprise him.

Although the BPS staff members all reside in the New York metropolitan area, they all chose to stay at the hotel with us. Instead of dancing and dining at the Sky Club at the top of the Met Life Building - save that for next year! - we spent it in front of the Park Central Hotel, talking, laughing, hugging, drinking warm beer and dancing.

Music was provided by Chanin's car, nicknamed "The Pumpkin," which he pulled onto the sidewalk. Most of the people in our party were there until almost dawn. A few brave souls made the climb to their rooms, but most slept in the hotel lobby or restaurant or ventured down the street to benches in Central Park.

The question Friday morning was whether we would continue the conference. As it turned out, it started only about an hour later than scheduled. We got by on coffee, chips, dip and crackers until midafternoon, when the BPS staff brought in some pizzas.

By 3 p.m., the group sessions ended and almost everyone dispersed to catch a flight or get some sleep. Some dined out with the BPS group and saw a terrific Broadway show. It was an excellent climax to a most unusual and exhausting couple of days.

The BPS conference was a "celebration of the agent." We all felt it, enjoyed it, loved it and appreciated it. I firmly believe that the devotion shown during the blackout is a direct result of the BPS staff's loyalty to its agents - something that NPC and vendors clearly can see. We have a great team, and I am proud to be part of it.

Dan Ross Sr. is a sales agent for Business Payment Systems.