the OP is in an area thats often inundated with day hikers (ie people who don't need permits) so why bother and on what basis did he/she ask for the OP's permit?
clingmans dome road is closed for the season......
so one would stick out like a sore thumb up there right now...
and most ridgerunners can tell the difference between someone backpacking and dayhiking.....
and more importantly, if OP did have permit----all this could have been avoided if they just showed it to ridgerunner...