By Jim Hunt for the Harrison County News and Journal
Years ago, a popular television game show would conclude with a memorable line: “Will the real [name] please stand up?” It always drew a laugh, especially when contestants tried to bluff their way through the show, pretending to be someone they weren’t.
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Recently, I had my own version of this scenario play out—and no, it wasn’t on television. It happened at a conference, where I’ve spent a good chunk of my life. After attending hundreds of conferences over the years—from city halls to convention centers—I thought I’d seen it all. That is, until I found myself caught up in a case of mistaken identity, and let’s just say it was not the moment I’d have chosen to meet my namesake.
I was heading to the Association of Pennsylvania Municipal Managers conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After driving over four hours, I finally checked into the hotel, looking forward to some rest before the evening’s opening session. I was comfortably settled in my room—read: down to my underwear—flipping through the channels and savoring the quiet, when I heard the unmistakable click of a keycard.
Now, I’ve stayed in enough hotels to know that keycard errors happen, but nothing prepared me for the moment when a man walked right in, rolling his luggage behind him, and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of me—surprised, half-dressed, and looking every bit like someone who did not expect company.
Before I could say anything, he stammered, “This is my room.”
Still trying to piece things together (and doing so rather quickly, considering the situation), I asked him, “Are you Jim Hunt?”
He blinked a few times and cautiously said, “Yes…”
I laughed and said, “Well, that explains it. I’m Jim Hunt, too. Looks like the front desk gave us the same room.”
After a quick and awkward chuckle, he wheeled his suitcase back out and shut the door.
Moments later, I got a call from the front desk asking me to stop by. I changed into something more appropriate for public viewing and headed down, where the hotel staff sheepishly apologized for the confusion and reissued new keys. Apparently, having two Jim Hunts on the same guest list had short-circuited the room assignment software.
Later that evening, while chatting with some attendees in front of one of the vendor booths, I recounted the story. It got a good laugh, and one of the folks behind the booth looked particularly entertained. I glanced at his name tag—and wouldn’t you know it? Jim Hunt. The other Jim Hunt.
We both burst out laughing and decided to capture the moment with a photo. Turns out, he’s from just outside Philadelphia and works in financial services. We joked about how we might confuse future conference organizers or accidentally end up on each other’s panels.
It was a light-hearted moment in a career that’s often filled with serious discussions about municipal budgets, infrastructure challenges, and community engagement. But it was also a reminder: even in the most professional settings, unexpected moments can bring levity and human connection.
So, will the real Jim Hunt please stand up? Well, apparently, there are at least two of us—and we both managed to take a hotel mix-up and turn it into a story worth sharing. And let’s be honest, I’ll take a good laugh (even at my own expense) over a routine check-in any day.
