[Sca-cooks] Pennsic Potluck, and Courtesy

[Stefan li Rous]

Phlip described the last Pennsic Middle Kingdom Cooks/SCA-Cooks
Pot luck and said:
> I don't know if anyone else noticed at this last
> Potluck, but I was disturbed by the lack of courtesy I
> observed. Once someone said, "Let's eat", everyone
> jammed the tables to such an extent, that I had
> trouble adding some of the food we had brought, and
> further difficulty getting a plate loaded for a gentle
> who had arrived in a wheelchair. When at last I was
> ready to get myself something to eat, all the plastic
> plates and such SPCA had brought had disappeared,
> despite the fact that we brought extras. I have no
> objection to the folk who brought no food or feast
> gear joining us, but I do have strong objections to
> the lack of courtesy and forethought displayed by
> others among us who had had some warning of the nature
> of the meeting.

Uh oh. Now that you remind me of this, I'm suddenly wondering
if I WANT to particpate in this again.

I cerainly do remember this. I'm an insulin dependant diabetic.
I had taken my evening insulin injection back in camp as there was
no convenient way to take it up on the Serrengetti where the
class tents were. I realized just as the food rush began that
I was having a low-blood sugar episode. What I needed were a
few of the sweet candies or dessert from the table. However,
there was a tight circle of people around the table and I
couldn't get through without making a scene. After making some
attempts to break through, including voiced requests, I gave up
and sat down, hoping the rush would shortly pass. Liadan, bless
her, saw the problem I was having and shoved her way through the
throng to get me some things.

These were certainly not the manners that I've often seen in
the Society. But then, one of the symptoms of a low blood sugar
is a feeling of agitation and nervousness. I've thought that
maybe this has colored my rememberance of this event. Maybe
not as much as I thought it did, since Phlip has also described
this event similarly.

I'm now on an insulin pump rather than injections, so I have
more latitude in when I get my mealtime insulin, and the chance
of low blood sugars is decreased as well. However, the memory
of that episode does leave a bad taste in my mouth.

> My thought is that if the Potluck were held in a more
> friendly, and perhaps private, environment, perhaps
> more courtesy might be displayed.

Maybe.

I also remember that there was a problem cleaning up. The trash
can quickly filled to capacity and there weren't any additional
trash bags available and various items were left behind by folks.
Some of this can be fixed with preperation, like making sure to
bring some extra trash bags and something to wipe the table down
with. But for the unexpected, it is nice to have a nearby camp to get
cleanup stuff from or to leave left behind items at. And although it
then falls on the camp folks shoulders, there is not the problem
of making sure the table and tent are shipshape for the classes
the next day in the same space.

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas          stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****