[Ansteorra] I have a question

[Paul DeLisle]

I never post to this list or any list.  Yet, I am puzzled can someone please
tell me why they joined the SCA?
Just wondering?
Halla



*smiles*...Very well, Milady...since you asked so nicely...
Grab a mug and a chair, Good Gentles...'cause Uncle Alden's Gonna Tell A
Story.

I first heard about the SCA in the Air Force...in Germany, of all places.
There were two fellows who claimed to be a part of it...one who was a
complete dweeb, and I never saw much of him...the other ...well..all he ever
seemed to do was wear a cloak around the Base occasionally (mostly to the
movie theater.) But the idea of a goup like this kind of fired my
imagination.
When I was transferred back to the States, I landed at Bergstrom AFB, in
Austin, Texas (what you now know at the Austin-Bergstrom International
Airport.)
After several months there, I decided to try and find out if there really
was anything to this weird little bunch.
I went to several fighter practices (some of which only consisted of *one*
guy standing around in a blue tunic *grinz*)

And then, I went to an Event...Bryn Gwlad Fall Court, A.S. XVI (being One
Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Two in the Common Reckoning.)
Varkskol Halfblood was the Baron, and Seanna de Fraser was the Baroness. I
briefly wondered why the Baron sat in his throne all evening, reading a
book...but I was soon distracted by all the Pomp and Circumstance...and
thought: "Okay...*this* is *cool*!"
As I went to more events, and met more people...I realized that my parents
had tried to teach me some core values...Honor, Honesty, Courage, Courtesy
(okay...mebbe I didn't learn *that* one quite so well!)...but I never saw a
reason, in today's modern society, to *use* them...because everyone who
*did*, got (pardon my French) shat-upon.

But *here*, there were people who not only *believed* in those things...but
*practiced* them!
These were people I wanted to know. 
These were people I wanted to be *like* (shudder now, Tivar!)

And the rest, my Lords & Ladies, is (dimly-lit and ancient) history.

Two last things:

Once, *many* years later... my Lady and I were stranded in Travis Air Force
Base...waiting on a flight back home. All flights were grounded. The
Terminal was incredibly crowded...apparently, entirely by families with
entire armies of small screaming & crying children.  The chairs were hard
plastic... impossible to sit in for more than 10 minutes...and there was
*no* place to even lie down (The Security Police wouldn't let you sleep on
the concrete floors, even if you *could*.) 
We had been up for.....eons, I think...and were so *desperately* exhausted
we couldn't even think. However, to circumvent boredom, the officials at
Travis had thoughtfully put up televisions *everywhere* in the terminal...
And every single one of them was playing .............
............wait for it........................
......."Paint Your Wagon." 
All two hours and 38 minutes of it.......
Twice.

...Have you ever *heard* Lee Marvin or Clint Eastwood sing? 
*SHUDDERZ* They give Shatner & Nimoy a run for their money.

In absolute desperation, I called back home to my Cadet, who called the
local Seneschal, who called the Kingdom Seneschal, who looked up the
Seneschal for Sacramento in the Knowne Worlde Roster (remember,
children...this was *long* before Cell phones, much-less PDAs and
Internet-as-you-know-it.)
We got the number of the Seneschal for the Shire of Golden Rivers...and left
what I'm certain was a pathetic, pitiful, and despairing message on their
answering machine.
Two hours later...an entourage shows up at the Travis AFB Terminal...in full
garb (my apologies to you purists...that's what we called it back then...)
They took us to their home; fed us, gave us alcohol, and put us to bed for
the few hours we had left until our flight.
Ohh...and the Seneschal of Golden Rivers?....remember that guy who never did
anything but wear a cloak around Spangdahlem AB?
...Yep...that was him. 
...Quite a reunion *grinz*

Lastly...in the earlier-referenced "Murder At The War"...there was an
under-story involving a fictional survey at Pennsic asking "Why did you join
the SCA, in 25 words or more?"...the theory, I assume, being that *no-one*
could say *anything* about the SCA in 25 words or *less*.
When the Baronial copy made its way to me (my apologies to Mistress Margaret
of Shaftsbury, the lack of royalties due to her)...this idea kept nagging at
me...until I set this to paper:

WHY I JOINED THE SCA (IN 125 WORDS OR LESS)
Alden Pharamond
(Inspired by the survey at Pennsic mentioned in Mary Monica Pulver's book
"Murder at the War"

Pageantry, colors, and Kings held in awe
Medieval feasts (although sometimes served raw)
.And the bards, who put glorious tales in our heads!
And the heralds, who pry us from comfortable beds.
And bloodlust in battle! .and beer later on!
.And the sight of a misty encampment, at dawn.
Ladies in Tudor, and fighters in steel
Who believe that, deep down, it's no game, that it's real.
Where your word is your bond, and that this thought holds true
For the Saxon, and Viking. and Cavalier, too
So. "Why do I stay with this game?" I reflect
Well, for Chivalry, Courtesy, Friendship, Respect
And a thousand small words, but mostly, you see
.For I've *lived* in the Dream. and now it. lives in me.

Thus endeth the tale. Be Well.
*passes the candle to the left*