What was happening ...?
Past Continuous
Use the past continuous to express what was occurring at a precise moment in the past. The past continuous is often used together with the simple past to express an interrupted action. The action which was interrupted is expressed using the past continuous, while the action which caused the interruption takes the past simple.
Positive Form:
Subject + to be + verb + ing + objects
Company A was eyeing a hostile takeover of Company B when the government intervened.
Negative Form:
Subject + to be + not + verb + ing + objects
They weren't considering all of the factors when they noticed it was affecting the gross profit.
Question Form:
Wh? + to be + subject + verb + ing?
What were you doing when the endorser arrived?
NOTE: The past continuous is often used together with the simple past to express an interrupted action. The action which was interrupted is expressed using the past continuous, while the action which caused the interruption takes the past simple.
I wasn't expecting the closing date to be so soon when the broker called to tell me. We were discussing a partnership when the corporate office came in with a hostile takeover. Who was the endorser talking to while she was signing the check? The endorser wasn't doing anything when you called.