[Ansteorra] I have a question

[Miles Grey]

Having spent 4 years in Germany as a kid clambering all over ruins of
medieval castles - they're everywhere - I always had an interest in things
medieval.  During college back in 1982 in the East Kingdom, a group of us
attended an event.  We watched the fighting, we asked questions, we danced
courtly dances, we bought things from the merchants.  Day turned into
night and the feast was wonderful.  It was loud and joyous.  Someone
shouted to a man to sing a song.  Sadly, I cannot remember his name right
now, but he demanded cheap red wine as his pay.  Much was proffered.  He
selected one, poured out a goblet, and drank deeply.  And then . . . he
sang.  And I was there.  The song was "Catalan Vengeance," and God himself
must have touched the man.  Never has a song been so moving.  I swear the
very ground shook as the French Knights charged, that I was among those
who dispatched the trapped enemy and then plundered their remains to
acquire the pay owed us.

I learned to brew mead.  Honestly, it isn't a lot of fun.  That honey gets
everywhere.  Racking and bottling are a pain.  And then you hand a bottle
to someone whose face lights up at the first taste, and you know why you
bothered.

Mundane life caused me to quit for 20 years.  But when circumstances
removed the obstacles, I joined again.  I bought two carboys and had my
first (dreadful) batch of mead going before I attended my first event. 
Try as I might, I cannot brew enough mead.

I've attended good bardic at many events, either formal or informal, at
competitions, in camp, at the Green Dragon, sitting outside the main hall
at Canton at 2 in the morning.  I've listened to many talented bards
perform very well.  But I have yet to hear anything that comes close to
that moment, when in the midst of the noise and revelry of a delightful
feast, someone yelled for a song and for the price of a single goblet of
cheap red wine (burgundy in a gallon jug), we were witness to something
wonderful.  Before the first verse was finished, the near-roar of
conversation and laughter was gone completely.  There was utter silence as
he finished.  The cheers and applause came only after several moments of
stunned silence.  I hope to hear a song like that again, but it's possible
that we only get to experience such magic once.

Now I show up at fighter practice and people welcome me.  I arrive at
events and people call my name.  I join the fighters for the battles at
BAM and Gulf War and people tell me they're glad to see me there.  I help
set up or tear down, or serve feast, or do dishes, or help in the kitchen,
things I feel we should all do from time to time, and people thank me for
the help.  I set up a little grill and share some food and people
appreciate it.  I put out a couple spare chairs so others can sit down and
people appreciate it.  I pass around a bottle or two and people appreciate
it.  I schlep across site to deliver a message, drop something off, or
retrieve something and people appreciate it.  I'm forgiven when I do
things wrong, laughed at when I'm late again, and always made to feel
welcome.

I joined the SCA because I got to scramble around ruined medieval castles
as a child.  I'm in the SCA because I belong.

  Miles Grey

PS - this question seems to have arisen because of a bit of heat on the
list.  In my family, some harsh words, arguments, and a little anger from
time to time were normal.  We remain family.  To me, a list where tempers
didn't flare every now and again would seem incomplete.  It seems to me
that if you don't care enough to get angry sometimes, then you don't care
enough.



Rachel's wrote:
> I never post to this list or any list.  Yet, I am puzzled can some one
> please
> tell me why they joined the SCA?
>
> Just wondering?
>