SC - King Arthur Fair is over

[Diana L Skaggs]

All,
How dismal! How depressing! The King Arthur Faire is over and I lost my
investment. This weekend, we were rained out by 5 pm on Saturday (although
we were pretty much sold out).  This morning we just got the first batch of
coffee made and filled the cookers with food when we were notified the
faire was being cancelled.  If we'd had a good day, I would have broke
even, but as it is... well, there's always next time.  I do have to say I
was amused by the vendor next to me.  He went by Bad Ivan. However, his
name should have been Ugly Ivan (he ran around without a shirt. And he's
NOT buff!  A regular scenery ruiner!)  He was upset because I "ruined his
business" by underpricing him on beef barbeque.  Now, remember, I was
supposed to have the lease on smoked turkey legs and sausage-on-a-stick.
When I got to site, there was Rude Ivan with a smoker the size of a train
engine and a refrigerated truck the size of my kitchen selling smoked
turkey legs and sausage-on-a-stick. So, I made barbeque beef, meat pies,
corn on the cob and cookies (I took my pizzelle maker and made wafers on
site). I've heard by the grapevine that Nasty Ivan went to the faire
director and complained. I swear I didn't know he was making barbeque beef
sandwiches.  When I found out, I changed my menu to roast poultry
sandwiches instead of barbeque and added brats & kraut and hotdogs for the
small children. I personally heard him call me an "amateur." I was nice to
the man, even though he spent most of his time yelling at his kids and
making them cry.
Could I help it if my crew was there to have a good time? (Making money
would have been nice, too.) We played in persona, made people laugh, and
folks just kept coming back for more.  The wonderful smells of anise and
cinnamon wafted in the air around Leanna's Table, and I made coffee, which
won me points with everyone. I can't tell you the number of adults
facinated by the wafers.  I sold dozens every day.  Wafers and meat pies
sold out every day.  Several people made return visits for additional
cookies.  Folks who tasted my barbeque the first weekend were saddened by
the fact I didn't make it for the second weekend, but when I explained,
they all understood.  The general comment was "too bad, I would have paid
HIS price to get YOUR barbeque, it was great!"  After folks had a taste of
my cooking and my crew's wonderful attitude, word got all over the faire
that Leanna's Table was the place to eat.  Is that MY fault? (Leanna
chuckling wickedly) Leanna, poor parsimonious Scots tavern keeper.